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Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Resiliency factors relevant to NICU parents' emotional and relational health
Victoria A Grunberg1,2,3, Giselle G Vitcov4, Elise Belkin4,5
1Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA. vgrunberg@mgh.harvard.edu.
Objectives:
Despite the stress of having a baby in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), factors that promote adjustment remain unclear. We examined which resiliency factors were associated with family adjustment across the NICU journey.
Study Design:
Parents with a baby in the NICU (≤2 weeks) completed surveys at three timepoints (during admission (N = 165); 1 month later (N = 85); 3 months later (N = 55)). Surveys included sociodemographics and validated measures of emotional distress, relational outcomes, and resiliency.
Results:
Mixed models revealed that lower parental distress was associated with: (1) higher mindfulness; (2) more adaptive coping; (3) greater parental self-efficacy (only anxiety); and (4) increased parental time for themselves (only posttraumatic stress). Higher couple satisfaction was associated with more dyadic coping and social support. Stronger parent-child bonding was associated with greater parental self-efficacy.
Conclusion:
Mindfulness and coping are important for parental distress. Building parental efficacy, encouraging self-care, and promoting shared coping and social support is important.
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