Impact of a Neonatal-Bereavement-Support DVD on Parental Grief: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Grief counseling
• Neonatal care

Background:

• Parental grief following neonatal death is a significant concern.
• Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) provide critical care but also face challenges in supporting bereaved parents.
• Existing bereavement care protocols may require enhancement to address parental grief effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a neonatal-bereavement-support DVD on parental grief.
• To compare the effects of the DVD intervention against standard bereavement care.
• To explore factors influencing grief levels in parents experiencing neonatal loss.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-effects model was used to measure grief change from 3 to 12 months post-neonatal death.
• An intent-to-treat analysis was initially conducted.
• Subsequent analyses compared a small group of DVD viewers with non-viewers and a control group receiving standard care.

Main Results:

• The intent-to-treat analysis did not yield significant results.
• Parents who selectively watched the bereavement support DVD reported higher grief levels at 3-month follow-up compared to non-viewers and controls.
• Increased grief at 3 months was negatively correlated with social support and spiritual/religious beliefs.

Conclusions:

• The neonatal-bereavement-support DVD, as implemented, did not reduce parental grief and may have initially intensified it for viewers.
• Findings suggest that the effectiveness of bereavement interventions may be influenced by individual parental factors.
• Further research is needed to refine neonatal bereavement care strategies and support parental coping mechanisms.