Parental coping in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Psychotraumatology
• Parental adaptation

Background:

• Premature birth presents significant challenges for mothers, increasing vulnerability to mental health issues.
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD) are prevalent concerns in mothers of premature infants.
• Coping mechanisms play a crucial role in parental adaptation to the stress of neonatal intensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers of premature infants.
• To examine the association between coping strategies, maternal education, and the risk of developing PTSD.
• To identify potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing PTSD symptoms in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 56 mothers of premature infants completed validated questionnaires assessing coping (Brief COPE), ASD (Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire), and PTSD (Davidson Trauma Scale).
• Statistical analyses, including relative risk (RR) calculations, were used to determine associations between variables.
• Data were collected at baseline and at a 1-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• 18% of mothers exhibited baseline ASD, and 30% met PTSD criteria at 1-month follow-up.
• Dysfunctional coping was significantly associated with an increased risk of PTSD (RR = 1.09).
• Higher maternal education was also linked to increased PTSD risk (RR = 1.17 per year of education).

Conclusions:

• Dysfunctional coping strategies are a significant factor contributing to PTSD development in mothers of premature infants.
• Maternal education level may also influence PTSD risk, warranting further investigation.
• Interventions targeting coping mechanisms could be beneficial in mitigating PTSD in parents of premature infants.