Maternal Stress and Efficacy for Latina Mothers with Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care

Abstract

This study examined the levels of maternal stress and efficacy for Spanish-and English-speaking Latina mothers whose infants were in neonatal intensive care. Thirty-two Latina mothers participated in the study. Significant group differences were found between Spanish-and English-speaking Latina mothers. More stress was experienced by Spanish-than English-speaking Latina mothers in communicating with NICU staff, in general and learning about infant caregiving tasks, in particular. Maternal efficacy was not related to stress experienced by these mothers in the NICU. Implications for early interventions and future directions for research are discussed for Latina mothers and their newborn infants with special needs.

Parents perceptions of stress in a neonatal intensive care unit in Rwanda

“…The two situations that parents describe as stressful are the baby’s appearance and behaviour, and the sights and sounds of the ICU. A baby’s appearance is more stressful; this finding concurs with the findings of previous studies that have identified the physical appearance of an infant admitted to a NICU as the most significant source of stress for parents (Denney et al 2006 ). On the other hand, Dudek-Shriber ( 2004 ) is convinced that parents experience a small degree of stress as a result of how their babies look and behave.…”

“…Related to the parental stress factors in a NICU, language and cultural barriers are indicated to play a role in the amount of stress a family might experience whilst having an infant in the unit. Language barriers prevent families from accessing pertinent information about their infants (Denney et al 2006 ). The study by Denney et al ( 2006 ) regarding the levels of parent stress reveals that communication and linguistic barriers in a NICU environment yield high stress levels for parents.…”

“…Language barriers prevent families from accessing pertinent information about their infants (Denney et al 2006 ). The study by Denney et al ( 2006 ) regarding the levels of parent stress reveals that communication and linguistic barriers in a NICU environment yield high stress levels for parents. Underlining the importance of communication, the high demands placed on hospital professionals often result in a lack of time to communicate with the families (De Rouck & Leys 2009 ).…”

“…Once an infant is admitted to a NICU, many factors account for parental stress. According to Denney et al ( 2006 ), the birth of a newborn baby that results in the admission to a NICU is the initial stressor for a family. Parents fear for the survival of their infant and begin experiencing feelings of worry, depression, and anxiety (Obeidat et al 2009 ).…”