Background: Preterm labor is the most stressful experience for mothers. Consultation by interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) approach is a method to support mothers with pre-term labor.Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of interpersonal psychotherapy oriented child birth education on adaptation role and stress in mothers of infants admitted to the intensive care unit.Methods: This randomized interventional study investigated 92 primiparous women with a newborn admitted to the newborn intensive care unit of Kamali Hospital. The sampling method was convenient and samples were randomly assigned to two groups of control and intervention by four blocks randomization method. In addition to routine care, the intervention group received three IPT counseling sessions. The data collection tool in this study was parental stress questionnaire and maternal role adaptation questionnaire.
Results:The results of repeated measure test indicated that the maternal stress score had a significant change over time (P < 0.001) with significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.001), and maternal role adaptation changed significantly over time (P < 0.001) with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:Considering the impact of interpersonal psychotherapy-oriented child birth education on maternal stress and maternal role adaptation, as well as the limited duration and cost of this program and the possibility of training it by nurses and midwives, it is suggested to include this training program in routine interventions for mothers with a premature baby.