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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit: parental psychological status at 9 months

Janet D Carter1, Roger T Mulder, Christopher M A Frampton

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. janet.carter@canterbury.ac.nz

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|August 28, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Parents whose infants were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) showed no lasting psychological distress at 9 months. Factors like initial symptom severity and relationship quality influenced recovery from parental depression and anxiety.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neonatal Care
  • Parental Mental Health

Background:

  • Infant hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can cause significant parental stress.
  • Longitudinal studies are needed to understand the long-term psychological impact on parents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the psychological status of parents with NICU-admitted infants versus parents of healthy term infants at 9-month follow-up.
  • To identify factors associated with changes in parental psychological status over time.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective longitudinal study involving 447 parents of NICU infants and 189 parents of healthy term infants.
  • Assessment of parental depression and anxiety symptoms at infant birth and 9 months postpartum.

Main Results:

  • Initial elevated depression and anxiety symptoms in NICU parents resolved by 9 months.
  • Higher initial symptom severity and better couple relationship quality predicted improvement.
  • For fathers, factors like infant hospitalizations and for mothers, age and living situation influenced symptom changes.

Conclusions:

  • NICU admission does not typically lead to persistent psychological distress for the majority of parents.
  • Parental psychological well-being post-NICU admission is influenced by initial severity and relationship factors.
Abstract

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