Acute stress disorder among parents of infants in the neonatal intensive care nursery.

Abstract

The authors examined the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) in parents of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Forty parents were assessed after the birth of their infants. Parents completed self-report measures of ASD, parental stress, family environment, and coping style: 28% of parents developed symptoms of ASD. ASD was associated with female gender, alteration in parental role, family cohesiveness, and emotional restraint. Family environment and parental coping style are significantly associated with the development of trauma symptoms. Results from this study suggest potential interventions to help minimize psychological distress in parents.

• Authors: Richard J Shaw, Thomas Deblois, Linda Ikuta, Karni Ginzburg, Barry Fleisher, Cheryl Koopman
• Journal: Psychosomatics (Psychosomatics) 2006 May-Jun Vol. 47 Issue 3 Pg. 206-12 ISSN: 0033-3182 [Print] England
• PMID: 16684937 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Topics

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adult
• Consumer Behavior
• Female
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Intensive Care, Neonatal (psychology)
• Male
• Parent-Child Relations
• Parents (psychology)
• Personality Inventory
• Social Environment
• Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute (diagnosis, psychology)
• Stress, Psychological (complications)
• Surveys and Questionnaires