Article Version of Record

Mothers and fathers in NICU: The impact of preterm birth on parental distress

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Ionio, Chiara
Colombo, Caterina
Brazzoduro, Valeria
Mascheroni, Eleonora
Confalonieri, Emanuela
Castoldi, Francesca
Lista, Gianluca

Abstract / Description

Preterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NICU. 21 mothers (age = 36.00 ± 6.85) and 19 fathers (age = 34.92 ± 4.58) of preterm infants (GA = 30.96 ± 2.97) and 20 mothers (age = 40.08 ± 4.76) and 20 fathers (age = 40.32 ± 6.77) of full-term infants (GA = 39.19 ± 1.42) were involved. All parents filled out the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire. Our data showed differences in emotional reactions between preterm and full-term parents. Results also revealed significant differences between mothers and fathers’ responses to preterm birth in terms of stress, negative feelings, and perceptions of social support. A correlation between negative conditions at birth (e.g., birth weight and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay) and higher scores in some scales of Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire were found. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be a stressful place both for mothers and fathers. It might be useful to plan, as soon as possible, interventions to help parents through the experience of the premature birth of their child and to begin an immediately adaptive mode of care.

Keyword(s)

prematurity NICU parental stress parenting caring

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-11-18

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

12

Issue

4

Page numbers

604–621

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Ionio, C., Colombo, C., Brazzoduro, V., Mascheroni, E., Confalonieri, E., Castoldi, F., & Lista, G. (2016). Mothers and fathers in NICU: The impact of preterm birth on parental distress. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(4), 604–621. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i4.1093
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Ionio, Chiara
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Colombo, Caterina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Brazzoduro, Valeria
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Mascheroni, Eleonora
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Confalonieri, Emanuela
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Castoldi, Francesca
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Lista, Gianluca
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T09:59:47Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T09:59:47Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-11-18
  • Abstract / Description
    Preterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NICU. 21 mothers (age = 36.00 ± 6.85) and 19 fathers (age = 34.92 ± 4.58) of preterm infants (GA = 30.96 ± 2.97) and 20 mothers (age = 40.08 ± 4.76) and 20 fathers (age = 40.32 ± 6.77) of full-term infants (GA = 39.19 ± 1.42) were involved. All parents filled out the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire. Our data showed differences in emotional reactions between preterm and full-term parents. Results also revealed significant differences between mothers and fathers’ responses to preterm birth in terms of stress, negative feelings, and perceptions of social support. A correlation between negative conditions at birth (e.g., birth weight and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay) and higher scores in some scales of Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire were found. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be a stressful place both for mothers and fathers. It might be useful to plan, as soon as possible, interventions to help parents through the experience of the premature birth of their child and to begin an immediately adaptive mode of care.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Ionio, C., Colombo, C., Brazzoduro, V., Mascheroni, E., Confalonieri, E., Castoldi, F., & Lista, G. (2016). Mothers and fathers in NICU: The impact of preterm birth on parental distress. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(4), 604–621. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i4.1093
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1019
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1211
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i4.1093
  • Keyword(s)
    prematurity
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    NICU
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    parental stress
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    parenting
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    caring
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Mothers and fathers in NICU: The impact of preterm birth on parental distress
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    4
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    604–621
  • Volume
    12
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record