Needs and Perceptions Relative to Emotional Support in Parents With Preterm Infants

Objectives of this study were to explore parents' needs for emotional support and how such support could be best delivered during admittance to a neonatal unit. This study took place at 6 neonatal units in Sweden. Forty-two semistructured interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis: 26 individual telephone interviews with mothers of preterm infants 6 to 10 months after discharge and 16 face-to-face interviews with parents of preterm infants admitted to neonatal units. The main category to emerge was needs and preferences for emotional support , which consisted of 2 generic categories: emotional needs and preferences for potential support interventions . Emotional needs define the importance of comprehending the new situation, finding meaning, and managing the situation through resources. Preferences for potential support interventions identify possible ways to deliver emotional support in the form of parental group, diary writing, professional counseling, and Internet support. The results highlight the importance of supporting parents' sense of coherence in their situation and parenthood by offering different interventions according to parent preferences. Parental groups could serve as a keystone for emotional support with the possibility to combine with other support mechanisms.