Post‐traumatic growth in parents after infants’ neonatal intensive care unit hospitalisation

Abstract

Our study highlights the fact that post-traumatic growth in the parents of neonates hospitalised in the neonatal intensive care units remains under-evaluated.

Parents of preterm children narrate constructive aspects of their experiences

“…which are similar to studies by Lindberg et al (2008) andJackson et al (2003). However, in our study, the interviewed parents described being able to take a new perspective in a rather stressful situation, as well as to evaluate what was happening and appreciate events as they were (see Aftyka et al, 2016). This relates to another major theme, acceptance of the fact that events do not always occur as planned, which also associates to the acquisition of new perspectives, in this case a more critical stance on ideals and conceptions about how a life course ought to play out-as well as learning to accept that life is not calculable.…”

“…There are also resemblances to the theme of gratitude for what one has , for which parents talked about how they had realised that many of their everyday problems were not very severe; they thus learned to appreciate simple aspects of life, which is a theme that has also been identified in previous studies (Lindberg et al, ). All of the above themes express changes in priorities, new understandings of the self and a new appreciation for life—in other words, all the aspects of what has been described as post‐traumatic growth (Aftyka et al, ; Tedeschi & Calhoun, ; Tedeschi et al, ).…”

“…However, Wilson and Cook () showed that parents of extremely preterm children expressed post‐traumatic growth because they perceived themselves to have become stronger and more resilient, found that they valued their close relationships more than they had previously and expressed greater appreciation for everyday life. In another study focused on the parents of preterm children, Aftyka, Rozalska‐Walaszek, Rosa, Rybojad, and Karakuła‐Juchnowicz () found that the ability to look at a problematic situation from a new perspective—so as to learn and even find positive aspects of the situation—correlated with the possibility of post‐traumatic growth. Hence, the concept of post‐traumatic growth has opened up research on the positive outcomes of traumatic or very stressful experiences, such as giving birth to a preterm child.…”

“…These changes can be described in terms of post‐traumatic growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun, ), and a study by Wilson and Cook () showed that parents of extremely preterm children exhibit post‐traumatic growth by perceiving themselves to be stronger and more resilient, as well as by learning to place more value on both their close relationships and their everyday lives. In another study on parents of preterm children, Aftyka et al () found that the ability to look at a problematic situation from different perspectives—thus learning from the situation and even seeing its positive aspects—correlates with the possibility of post‐traumatic growth. Although it is a disputed concept because it is hard to define and measure (Christiansen, Iversen, Ambrosi, & Elklit, ), post‐traumatic growth has opened up new lines of research on the positive outcomes of traumatic or stressful experiences such as a severe medical problem, the death of a family member or being the victim of a crime (Tedeschi & Calhoun, ; Tedeschi, Cann, Taku, Senol‐Durak, & Calhoun, ).…”

Ambiguous loss and post‐traumatic growth: Experiences of mothers whose school‐aged children were born extremely prematurely

“…Distress and post‐traumatic growth are not at polar opposites of a continuum, but rather, can co‐exist (Aftyka, Rozalska‐Walaszek, Rosa, Rybojad, & Karakaula‐Junhnowicz, ; Teixeira & Pereira, ). The first author of the current study noted this point first‐hand in conducting the interviews, as it was not uncommon for the participants to shed tears as they spoke of extremely difficult times, as well as laughing and expressing happiness and pride as they shared hard‐won successes and exemplars of their expert mothering and advocacy.…”