Parents' and health professionals' perceptions concerning parental stress during a child's hospitalization

This study compared mothers', fathers', nurses', and physicians' perceptions of parents' reactions to stressful stimuli when their children were hospitalized. Thirty-six mothers, 14 fathers, 27 nurses, and 23 physicians rated 36 stressful stimuli on an inventory the investigators developed. Analysis of Variance and subsequent multiple comparison tests disclosed numerous differences between parents and health care professionals and between mothers and fathers on the Parental Uncertainty, Annoyance, Child Discomfort, and Negative Emotional States Scales. Further analyses of ratings on individual items from the scales revealed the bases of the differences. Implications for health professionals and directions for further research are discussed.