Anxiety and Depression in Mothers of Preterm Infants and Psychological Intervention During Hospitalization in Neonatal ICU

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare symptoms of anxiety and depression before and after psychological intervention in mothers of babies born preterm with very low birth weight, hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Fifty nine mothers, without psychiatric antecedents, were distributed into two groups according to the type of psychological intervention received. Group G1 included 36 mothers who received routine psychological treatment associated with initial structured intake using support materials (video and guidance manual). Group G2 included 23 mothers who received routine psychological intervention without support material. The STAI and BDI, respectively, were used to evaluate maternal indicators of anxiety and depression. The results revealed that both groups showed a reduction in levels of state or trait anxiety and depression after psychological intervention and discharge of the baby from the hospital. In regard to the emotional symptoms at a clinical level, a statistically significant reduction in the level of state-anxiety was verified in G1. The findings confirmed the need for psychological support for mothers of preterm infants and the use of materials focusing on «prematurity» for reduction of the situational anxiety on a clinical level.

Evaluation of Supportive Psychosocial Protocol on Anxiety of the Patients’ Families’ Located at the Al-Zahra/Isfahan Intensive Care Unit in 2011

“…In agreement with previous publications, giving necessary information about patients must be considered emphatically as a part of nursing role, since it could reduce anxiety levels' [1,20,25]. Demographic distribution in this study was comparable to previous study [1].…”

“…Study performed by Prosa GB., et al in 2009 stated a high level of anxiety for mothers of newborns with congenital malformations admitted to NICU [26]. In agreement with other result, age could not affect the level of anxiety as study performed by Carvalho AE, in 2009 explained a %71 anxieties of patients' families that were correlated to admitted adult to ICU [20]. There was no significant difference between male and female patients in association with mean score for their relative's anxiety level (P = 0.06; 4.1 ± 5.8 male versus 6.4 ± 4.1 for women).…”

“…This decrease in anxiety could support the vital role of family needs' by nursing care and their attention. Providing needs like: 1) have an access to information particularly about prognosis, 2) proper communication, 3) assurance, 4) comforting, 5) support and personal meetings with health care team members were found as strong way for reducing family needs' which demonstrated or confirmed by other studies [1,[18][19][20][21][22]. Spilburger mean score's with the values of 32.8 ± 4.6 versus 27.7 ± 2.3 before and after intervention, was in agreement with other published studies [1,23,24] in which the similarly reveal high levels of anxiety before any intervention.…”

Estresse precoce no desenvolvimento: impactos na saúde e mecanismos de proteção

“…Por outro lado, quando foi oferecida proteção às mães de bebês prematuros hospitalizados na UTIN, por meio de um programa de apoio psicológico estruturado com recursos materiais de ví-deo e livro sobre o impacto da prematuridade nas mães, permitindo que refletissem e discutissem essa experiência estressora em grupos de mulheres mediados por uma psicóloga, detectou-se uma diminuição dos sintomas de ansiedade do tipo estado após a intervenção, em comparação ao momento pré-intervenção (Carvalho, Linhares, Padovani, & Martinez, 2009). Verificou-se, também, um decréscimo gradual do nível de ansiedade materna entre o nascimento e o pós-alta e, posteriormente, ao final do primeiro ano de idade dos bebês; porém, 20% das mães apresentavam, ainda nessa fase, indicadores emocionais clínicos de ansiedade e/ou depressão .…”

Stress experienced by women after premature labor is conditioned by their personality

“…Experiencing such a stressful situation may be the cause of long-term psychological and emotional disorders. Also, it can negatively affect a woman's self-perception, her relationship with the child (and, consequently, the psychosomatic development of the child), and the family itself [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”