Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Person-Centered Exploration of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Stressors and Social Support in Parenting Very Preterm

Federica Vallone1, Carmine Vincenzo Lambiase1, Mariana Amorim2

  • 1Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, 80133 Naples, Italy.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Parents of very preterm infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) face unique challenges. Identifying parental risk and support profiles can help tailor interventions for better adjustment to NICU stressors.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Parental well-being
  • Psychosocial support

Background:

  • Parents of very preterm (VPT) infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) experience significant stressors.
  • Understanding parental perceived risks and resources is crucial for effective support.
  • Cross-cultural and sociodemographic factors may influence parental experiences in the NICU.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To classify parents of VPT infants based on perceived NICU stressors and social support resources.
  • To identify latent classes of parental risk and resource profiles.
  • To investigate the influence of country of belonging and sociodemographic factors on class membership.

Main Methods:

  • Survey data collected from 303 parents (92 Italian, 211 Portuguese) in NICUs.
  • Utilized the Parental-Stressor-Scale-NICU and Multidimensional-Scale-of-Perceived-Social-Support.
  • Analyzed data using multigroup latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression.

Main Results:

  • Three distinct cross-country parental classes were identified: 'Adjusted/Beneficial-and-Supported-System', 'Stressed-and-Supported-System', and 'Parental-Role-Alteration-with-Family-Supported-System'.
  • Portuguese parents predominantly belonged to Classes 1 and 2, while Italian parents were more represented in Class 3.
  • Male gender, older age, and having another child were associated with specific class memberships, indicating sociodemographic influences.

Conclusions:

  • Parental experiences in the NICU are complex, varying by perceived risks and support systems.
  • Latent class analysis effectively identified distinct parental profiles.
  • Tailored interventions, considering country, gender, age, and family structure, are essential for supporting parents of VPT infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
cross-country comparisonfathersmothersmultigroup latent class analysisneonatal intensive care unitsparentingperson-centered approachsources of supportstressorsvery preterm infants

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