Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
11:50

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

The psychologic impact on children of admission to intensive care

Gillian Colville1

  • 1St. George's University of London, London, UK. g.colville@sgul.ac.uk

Pediatric Clinics of North America
|May 27, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can experience lasting distress, often linked to parental anxiety. Understanding the child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Intensive Care Medicine

Background:

  • Limited research exists on the psychological impact of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stays on children.
  • Existing literature primarily focuses on parental and family experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the child's psychological experience during and after a PICU admission.
  • To examine the association between parental anxiety and children's psychological symptoms.
  • To investigate the nature of children's memories of the PICU.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on children's PICU experiences.
  • Integration of author's research examples.
  • Examination of evidence regarding factual and delusional memories.

Main Results:

  • A significant minority of children experience persistent psychological distress post-PICU.
  • Parental anxiety is associated with increased psychological symptoms in children.
  • Children may form both factual and delusional memories of their PICU stay.

Conclusions:

  • Further research is needed to fully understand and address the psychological needs of children in the PICU.
  • Clinical interventions should consider the child's perspective and the impact of parental anxiety.
  • Addressing children's memories and distress is crucial for recovery.

Related Concept Videos

Adler's Individual Psychology01:28

Adler's Individual Psychology

Alfred Adler, a prominent figure in psychology, founded the school of individual psychology. In contrast to Freud's emphasis on sexual or aggressive motives, Adler suggested that individuals are primarily motivated by their purposes and goals. He believed that people strive for perfection rather than pleasure. Adler argued that individuals could creatively act upon their genetic inheritance and environmental experiences to shape their own lives, emphasizing conscious motivation over unconscious...
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...
Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...