Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 31, 2026

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
08:25

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Published on: December 6, 2024

Psychometric properties of the parental stressor scale: infant hospitalization

Margaret Shandor Miles1, Susan H Brunssen

  • 1School of Nursing, The University of Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, USA. Mmiles@email.unc.edu

Advances in Neonatal Care : Official Journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses
|September 23, 2003
PubMed

Insights

The Parental Stressor Scale: Infant Hospitalization (PSS:IH) effectively measures parental stress during infant hospitalization. This validated tool aids in quality assurance and clinical research for hospitalized infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Healthcare Quality Improvement
  • Psychometrics

Background:

  • Infant hospitalization presents significant stressors for parents.
  • Existing instruments may not fully capture the nuances of parental stress in this context.
  • Valid and reliable measurement tools are crucial for assessing parental well-being and informing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate the Parental Stressor Scale: Infant Hospitalization (PSS:IH).
  • To provide a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring parental stress related to infant hospitalization.
  • To establish the reliability and validity of the PSS:IH for use in clinical and research settings.

Main Methods:

  • Adaptation of the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS:NICU) through literature review, parent interviews, and expert consultation.
  • Psychometric analysis of the PSS:IH using data from a longitudinal study of parents with medically fragile, hospitalized infants.
  • Inclusion of 81 mothers and 43 fathers in the study sample.

Main Results:

  • The PSS:IH demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability.
  • Construct validity was supported by significant correlations between PSS:IH scores during hospitalization and maternal distress post-discharge.
  • The scale effectively captures parents' perceptions of stress during infant hospitalization.

Conclusions:

  • The PSS:IH is a valuable outcome assessment instrument for quality assurance initiatives.
  • The PSS:IH is suitable for application in clinical research involving hospitalized infants.
  • Further research is recommended to explore the scale's utility across diverse populations and healthcare settings.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Self-Report Tests of Personality01:22

Self-Report Tests of Personality

Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Psychological Responses to Stress01:20

Psychological Responses to Stress

Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle01:27

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...