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Mastery of stress in mothers of preterm infants
J B Younger1, M J Kendell, R H Pickler
1Undergraduate Program, School of Nursing, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. YOUNGER@GEMS.VCU.EDU
Purpose:
To explore the relationships among stress, social support, mastery, and depression.
Design:
Descriptive correlational study.
Setting:
60-bed, Level 3 NICU in an urban medical center in a Mid-Atlantic state.
Participants:
31 mothers who delivered infants born between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. Inclusion criteria included no maternal illness or complications requiring hospitalization beyond four days, and no report of a recent major stressful life event other than the birth of the child.
Major Outcome Measures:
The Mastery of Stress Instrument, the Account of Social Resources Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale.
Results:
Social support was positively related to mastery and inversely related to depression.
Conclusions:
Mothers of preterm infants experienced significant levels of stress and depression in the early postpartum period.