Parent‐to‐parent support initiated in the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

A preliminary quasi-experimental, longitudinal study was conducted to explore differences in maternal mood states, self-esteem, family functioning, maternal-infant interaction, and home environment between mothers of preterm infants who participated in a nurse-managed program of parent-to-parent support and those who served as a comparison group. Mothers who participated in the intervention scored significantly higher on the Barnard NCATS interaction measure and the HOME total scale and subscales of maternal responsiveness and organization (N = 58) at 12 months following discharge from a neonatal intensive care unit. Using repeated measures analysis for a subset of mothers (n = 32), there were significant differences between the two groups on the mood state anxiety-tension (POMS) during the first 4 months postdischarge, with the treatment group having less anxiety. There was also a group by time interaction effect on self-esteem during the first 4 months, with self-esteem of the treatment group mothers increasing and comparison mothers decreasing. Findings suggest that one-to-one veteran parent support, in a nurse-managed program, may influence maternal and maternal-infant interaction outcomes.

The influence of support groups on the family of risk newborns and on neonatal unit workers

“…Coeso com o valor de capacitação do grupo de apoio, vários autores referem que a participação dos pais nos cuidados administrados ao filho restaura a competência e a confiança parental; ficam mais responsivos à presença do filho, e a interação entre eles aumenta, bem como a percepção do controle da situação durante a hospitalização do recém-nascido 6,18,24,25,28 .…”

“…Quando o recém-nascido é admitido na unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal (UTIN), existem aspectos inter-relacionados determinantes para o estresse da famí-lia 2-5 : a aparência física do recém-nascido, prematuro ou doente, causa estresse para os pais, pois difere das suas expectativas, interferindo no desenvolvimento do apego e na interação pais-filho 3 ; a severidade da doença e o tratamento transformam-se em uma fonte primária de estresse, uma vez que o filho está hospitalizado na UTIN 6,7 . Interligadas a essas fontes de estresse, estão as preocupações sobre o prognóstico, ou seja, incertezas sobre o bem-estar e o resultado a longo prazo acerca da saúde do filho.…”

O significado do grupo de apoio para a família de recém-nascidos de risco e equipe de profissionais na unidade neonatal

“…6,7 Concerns about the prognosis, i.e., uncertainties about the well-being and about long-term outcomes regarding the child s health add to these sources of stress. Loss of parental competence can negatively and prematurely interfere with parent-child relationships, being the major stress factor to parents of preterm infants.…”

“…8,9,15,17,[25][26][27] Several authors, in consistency with the qualification value of the support group, have mentioned that the participation of parents in child care restores their competence and parental confidence; they are more responsive to the presence of their child, and there is more interaction between parents and children, and parents are more able to control their feelings during the stay of their child in the NICU. 6,18,24,25,28 The parents of a chronically ill newborn experience feelings of uncertainty, because they do not know for sure whether their child will have a remarkable improvement, whether they will remain chronically ill, or whether they will die. Therefore, support should encompass information, emotional, strengthening and qualification aspects.…”

“…In this type of support, former participants bear their testimony and help these parents in an effective and consistent way, thus emphasizing the strengthening value of this approach to family members. 6,29 The participation of grandmothers is also of great importance, and certainly expands support to parents in the hospital and household environments.…”