Psychosocial interventions and support programs for fathers of NICU infants – A comprehensive review

Ocampo, Maria J.; Tinero, Jason; Rojas-Ashe, Elsa E.

doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105280

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The fathers’ involvement, staff’s expectations, and social expectations to fulfil the traditional breadwinning and caregiving roles may have caused this increased stress. Increase in stress with greater involvement may elicit the need for greater patient education on stress-management strategies, as studies have found that psychotherapy-based interventions (such as mindfulness, lessons in relaxation and self-knowledge, and father-support groups) decrease paternal symptoms of anxiety and stress [ 7 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parents’ Perception of Staff Support in a Father-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

et al. 2023

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Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, play a central role in supporting parents during their stay in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Fathers often have their own support needs; however, studies have shown that these needs are rarely met to the same degree as those of the mothers. We developed a “father-friendly NICU” with the aim of providing good-quality care to the entire family. To evaluate the impact of this concept, we adopted a quasi-experimental design; using the Nurse Parent Support Tool (NPST), we investigated the differences in the fathers’ (n = 497) and mothers’ (n = 562) perception of the nursing support received on admission and discharge between before and after the intervention. In the historical control and intervention groups, the fathers’ median NPST scores at admission were 4.3 (range, 1.9–5.0) and 4.0 (range, 2.5–4.8), respectively (p < 0.0001); at discharge, these scores were 4.3 (range, 1.6–5.0) and 4.4 (range, 2.3–5.0), respectively (difference not significant). In the historical control and intervention groups, the mothers median NPST scores at admission were 4.5 (range, 1.9–5.0) and 4.1 (range, 1.0–4.8), respectively (p < 0.001); at discharge, these scores were 4.4 (range, 2.7–5.0) and 4.4 (range, 2.6–5), respectively (difference not significant). The parental perception of support did not increase after the intervention; however, the parents reported a high level of staff support both before and after the intervention. Further studies should focus on parental support needs during the different phases of hospitalization (i.e., admission, stabilization, and discharge).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, it has been shown that the risk of depression is higher in fathers of prematurely born infants than in fathers of infants born at term. Furthermore, the symptoms of fathers who become depressed tend to worsen throughout hospitalization, and even after the infant has been discharged [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parents’ Perception of Staff Support in a Father-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

et al. 2023

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“…40 The results of a review of psychosocial interventions and support programs for fathers of NICU infants will also inform us on the way to tailor the response to fathers' needs. 41…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beliefs and needs of fathers of newborns hospitalised in a neonatal unit: A descriptive correlational study

Rio

Fadda

Lambert

et al. 2022

Australian Critical Care

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Background: Transition to parenthood is a wonderful yet stressful period especially when it involves the newborn's hospitalisation. To support and facilitate this transition, it is essential to understand parental beliefs and needs. The father's perspective remains an understudied yet fundamental question. Objectives: The objective of the study was to measure beliefs and needs of fathers of newborns hospitalised in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and their correlations with sociodemographic variables. Methods: Fathers with a newborn hospitalised for 4e15 days in a level III NICU in Western Switzerland completed the NICU Parental Beliefs Scale and the short form of the NICU Family Needs Inventory. For each item of the NICU Family Needs Inventory, fathers also answered with regard to their satisfaction level. Additional needs were collected with an added open-ended question. Simple linear regressions were used to correlate beliefs, needs, and the sociodemographic data. Results: Seventy fathers were included. The average score for paternal beliefs was 68.44 (standard deviation ¼ 10.29), indicating a good perception of their role. The majority (77%) considered all needs as very important or important, and 70% were very satisfied or satisfied. Fathers described communication as a very important, but unmet, need. Fathers' beliefs were higher in those who were not first-time fathers (71.88 ± 8.27 vs 66.06 ± 10.97, p ¼ 0.028), who had a paternity leave (72.68 ± 10.19 vs 66.05 ± 9.68, p ¼ 0.014), and who were of foreign nationality (71.86 ± 9.39 vs 63.85 ± 9.80, p ¼ 0.002). Conclusions: Fathers with a newborn hospitalised in the neonatal unit had good paternal beliefs. Most of the listed needs were perceived as very important and had a good level of satisfaction. Significant differences between Swiss fathers and fathers of foreign nationality were measured. Reasons of these differences should be explored in a forthcoming study.

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“…9 Fathers suppress their outward emotional response to what they are feeling and spend their efforts supporting their partner and focusing on the high-tech equipment surrounding their newborn. 2 They see themselves as practical, prone to problem-solving and proactivity. 7 Consequently, they tend to identify the stressors and take conscious action to address them.…”

Section: Background and Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…During their infants' hospitalization, fathers experience an emotional roller coaster filled with uncertainties 6,7. Fathers exhibit high levels of stress while their neonates are in the NICU due to the sights and sounds of the NICU,8 their partner's distress,2 the expectation they have to support both their partner and the sick newborn,2 and the expectation they have to juggle the priorities of their life outside the NICU 9. Fathers suppress their outward emotional response to what they are feeling and spend their efforts supporting their partner and focusing on the high-tech equipment surrounding their newborn 2.…”

Section: Background and Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

A Feasibility Study to Test the NICU Paternal Needs Inventory

Merritt,

Verklan

2023

Advances in Neonatal Care

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Background: There has been little research exploring paternal needs while experiencing a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay. Some tools exist to measure paternal needs, but do not incorporate items to capture important information about how fathers cope with stress differently, and may have different needs. Therefore, an instrument is needed to measure and prioritize what needs are important to fathers to help facilitate the development of nursing interventions to help fathers cope with the NICU environment. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a feasibility study before large-scale pilot testing the instrument, the NICU Paternal Needs Inventory (NPNI), so we could then determine what are the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of fathers. Methods: A nonexperimental, quantitative, and descriptive design was used to address the study's aims. Fathers were recruited from a level IV NICU and asked to complete an online survey (consisting of a demographic survey and the NPNI). Results: Needs rated 100% were knowing infant's progress, directions on caring for infant, flexible visitation, and assurance receiving the best care. The remainder showed a wide range of responses suggesting that needs of fathers are individual and varied. Implications for Practice and Research: Use of the NPNI to evaluate a father's unique and individual needs would allow for the nurse to develop father-specific, individualized interventions. Findings support that the NPNI is feasible to accomplish measuring fathers' needs, but a larger study is needed to test the reliability and validity of this tool.

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Psychosocial interventions and support programs for fathers of NICU infants – A comprehensive review

Cited by 11 publications

References 38 publications

Parents’ Perception of Staff Support in a Father-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Parents’ Perception of Staff Support in a Father-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Beliefs and needs of fathers of newborns hospitalised in a neonatal unit: A descriptive correlational study

A Feasibility Study to Test the NICU Paternal Needs Inventory

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