Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study
The main aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mothers’ postnatal depression, stress, and attachment during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Twenty mothers of very premature infants born before 32weeks of gestational age were re...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.734640/full |
| _version_ | 1818691840376832000 |
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| author | Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Francisca Barcos-Munoz Maria Grazia Monaci Lara Lordier Maricé Pereira Camejo Joana Sa De Almeida Didier Grandjean Petra S. Hüppi Cristina Borradori-Tolsa |
| author_facet | Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Francisca Barcos-Munoz Maria Grazia Monaci Lara Lordier Maricé Pereira Camejo Joana Sa De Almeida Didier Grandjean Petra S. Hüppi Cristina Borradori-Tolsa |
| author_sort | Filippa Manuela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The main aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mothers’ postnatal depression, stress, and attachment during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Twenty mothers of very premature infants born before 32weeks of gestational age were recruited at the Geneva University Hospital between January 2018 and February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Mothers were screened for postnatal depression after their preterm infant’s birth (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPDS), then for stress (Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, PSS:NICU), and attachment (Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, MPAS) at infant’s term-equivalent age. Data were compared with 14 mothers recruited between November 2020 and June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. No significant differences were found in the scores for depression, stress, and attachment between the two groups. However, a non-statistically significant trend showed a general increase of depression symptoms in mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly correlated to the attachment and stress scores. Moreover, the PSS:NICU Sights and Sounds score was significantly positively correlated with EPDS scores and negatively with the MPAS score only in the During-COVID group. To conclude, we discussed a possible dampened effect of the several protective family-based actions that have been adopted in the Geneva University Hospital during the health crisis, and we discussed the most appropriate interventions to support parents in this traumatic period during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T12:48:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91445ace408e422a9b36dab32806024e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T12:48:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-91445ace408e422a9b36dab32806024e2022-12-21T21:47:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-10-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.734640734640Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory StudyFilippa Manuela0Filippa Manuela1Filippa Manuela2Francisca Barcos-Munoz3Maria Grazia Monaci4Lara Lordier5Maricé Pereira Camejo6Joana Sa De Almeida7Didier Grandjean8Petra S. Hüppi9Cristina Borradori-Tolsa10Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeuroscience of Emotion and Affective Dynamics Lab, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Valle d’Aosta, Aosta, ItalyDivision of Pediatric Intensive Care and Neonatology, Department of Women, Children and Adolescents, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Valle d’Aosta, Aosta, ItalyDivision of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of Pediatric Intensive Care and Neonatology, Department of Women, Children and Adolescents, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeuroscience of Emotion and Affective Dynamics Lab, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandThe main aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mothers’ postnatal depression, stress, and attachment during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Twenty mothers of very premature infants born before 32weeks of gestational age were recruited at the Geneva University Hospital between January 2018 and February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Mothers were screened for postnatal depression after their preterm infant’s birth (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPDS), then for stress (Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, PSS:NICU), and attachment (Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, MPAS) at infant’s term-equivalent age. Data were compared with 14 mothers recruited between November 2020 and June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. No significant differences were found in the scores for depression, stress, and attachment between the two groups. However, a non-statistically significant trend showed a general increase of depression symptoms in mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly correlated to the attachment and stress scores. Moreover, the PSS:NICU Sights and Sounds score was significantly positively correlated with EPDS scores and negatively with the MPAS score only in the During-COVID group. To conclude, we discussed a possible dampened effect of the several protective family-based actions that have been adopted in the Geneva University Hospital during the health crisis, and we discussed the most appropriate interventions to support parents in this traumatic period during the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.734640/fullneonatal intensive care unitpreterm infantsmaternal stressmaternal depressionattachmentCOVID pandemic |
| spellingShingle | Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Filippa Manuela Francisca Barcos-Munoz Maria Grazia Monaci Lara Lordier Maricé Pereira Camejo Joana Sa De Almeida Didier Grandjean Petra S. Hüppi Cristina Borradori-Tolsa Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study Frontiers in Psychology neonatal intensive care unit preterm infants maternal stress maternal depression attachment COVID pandemic |
| title | Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full | Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study |
| title_fullStr | Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study |
| title_short | Maternal Stress, Depression, and Attachment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Before and During the COVID Pandemic: An Exploratory Study |
| title_sort | maternal stress depression and attachment in the neonatal intensive care unit before and during the covid pandemic an exploratory study |
| topic | neonatal intensive care unit preterm infants maternal stress maternal depression attachment COVID pandemic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.734640/full |
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