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The relationship between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in the neonatal intensive care unit
Richard J Shaw1, Rebecca S Bernard, Thomas Deblois
1Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94305-5719, USA. rjshaw@stanford.edu
Insights
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization causes significant parental stress. Fathers experienced higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 4 months after birth, indicating a need for parental support.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Psychological impact of infant hospitalization
- Parental stress and coping mechanisms
Background:
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission is a significant stressor for parents.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a proposed model for parental psychological responses to NICU experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of PTSD in parents 4 months after infant's NICU birth.
- To investigate the relationship between acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms and PTSD/depression.
Main Methods:
- Eighteen parents completed ASD measures at baseline.
- Parents also completed PTSD and depression measures at 4-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- 33% of fathers and 9% of mothers met PTSD criteria at 4 months.
- ASD symptoms correlated significantly with PTSD and depression.
- Fathers exhibited delayed PTSD onset but higher 4-month risk than mothers.
Conclusions:
- High parental psychological distress post-NICU hospitalization necessitates interventions.
- Preparing parents for NICU stress and supporting home transition is crucial.
- Early identification and support for parental PTSD and depression are vital.
Background:
Having an infant hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a highly stressful event for parents. Researchers have proposed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a model to explain the psychological reaction of parents to their NICU experience.
Objective:
The authors sought to examine the prevalence of PTSD in parents 4 months after the birth of their premature or sick infants and the relationship of PTSD and symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD) immediately after their infant's birth.
Method:
Eighteen parents completed a self-report measure of ASD at baseline in addition to self-report measures of PTSD and depression at a 4-month follow-up assessment.
Results:
In the sample, 33% of fathers and 9% of mothers met criteria for PTSD. ASD symptoms were significantly correlated with both PTSD and depression. Fathers showed a more delayed onset in their PTSD symptoms, but, by 4 months, were at even greater risk than mothers.
Discussion:
The relatively high levels of psychological distress experienced by parents coupled with the potential negative outcomes on the parent and infant suggest that it is important to try to prepare parents for the expected psychological reactions that may occur in the event of a NICU hospitalization and also to support parents during the transition to home care.
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