Maternal anxiety following newborn hearing screening: the moderating role of knowledge

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the impact upon maternal anxiety of newborn hearing screening and examine the Possible moderating role of knowledge. Methods: Questionnaires assessing maternal state anxiety, worry and certainty about the baby's hearing, and knowledge about screening, were sent to four groups of mothers three weeks after screening: Group 1 consisted of mothers whose babies had clear responses on a first or second screening test (n=103); Group 2 consisted of mothers whose babies had clear responses on the third screening test (n=81); Group 3 consisted of mothers whose babies did not have clear responses in one ear at the third screening test and were referred for audiological assessment (n=105); and Group 4 consisted of mothers whose babies did not have clear responses in either ear at the third hearing test and were referred for audiological assessment (n=55). Results: Although mean anxiety levels were in the normal range, there was a significant trend for anxiety to rise as testing increased (F(1,327)=4.280, P<0.05). Worry increased significantly (F(1,337)=70.432, P<0.001) and certainty decreased significantly (F(1,339)=27.474, P=0.001) as the number of tests increased. Although total knowledge did not significantly moderate anxiety (R 2=0.016, P=0.096), there was a significant interaction between mothers' group and one knowledge item, understanding that receipt of no clear responses was unlikely to mean that the baby had a hearing loss: mothers in Group 4 who understood this had lower anxiety (F(3,323)=4.791, P<0.01) and lower worry (F(3,332)=3.565, P<0.01) compared with mothers who did not. Conclusions: Understanding the meaning of being recalled following screening may avoid some of the anxiety associated with this.

Early hearing screening: What is the best strategy?

“…Although some studies have reported an increase of parental anxiety when the infant is screened positive [21], the majority of studies did not report an anxiogenic effect of the announcement of a positive result [22] or any deterioration of the quality of interactions [23]. However, although the level of anxiety measured was only low, parents admit that they are worried about the results obtained on screening tests and are particularly attentive to the way in which their infant responds to various noises [24] and good quality information on the objectives and benefits of newborn hearing screening appears to contribute to a reduction of this anxiety [25][26][27][28]. Furthermore, most of the various published studies used methodologies based on either self-administered questionnaires or telephone interviews, which may have a limited sensitivity as assessment tools to measure the level of parental anxiety and the quality of mother-infant interactions.…”

Feasibility and acceptability of targeted screening for congenital CMV-related hearing loss

“…Scores range from 20 to 80, ‘normal’ being <36 and clinical anxiety >49 19. Existing STAI data (mothers of infants with unilateral (one-sided) hearing referrals and no CMV screening) were used as ‘control’ anxiety data 20. Maternal views on ‘targeted’ newborn screening for cCMV were also sought.…”

Anxiety of the mothers with referred baby during Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

“…In contrast, Watkin et al had made a conclusion that anxiety was low in general whereby less than 1% of the mothers in their study being very worried at the initial test [22]. In a study done by Crockett et al, they have found that the degree of anxiety in hearing screening often seems to be related to the parents' lack of understanding that receipt of no clear responses was unnecessary to mean that the baby had hearing loss [23]. There might be certain group of mothers in our study did not have detail knowledge on UNHS especially as regard to the meaning of the results at each stage.…”