Comparison of Maternal-Infant Attachment Behaviors and Social Support in Mothers of Healthy Newborn and Premature Newborn Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Pourmovahed, Z; Aryaeenezhad , A

doi:10.52547/jhc.22.4.348

Journal of Health And Care

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Volume 22, Issue 4 (WINTER 2021) JHC 2021, 22(4): 348-357 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.52547/jhc.22.4.348

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Pourmovahed Z, Aryaeenezhad A. Comparison of Maternal-Infant Attachment Behaviors and Social Support in Mothers of Healthy Newborn and Premature Newborn Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. JHC 2021; 22 (4) :348-357
URL: http://hcjournal.arums.ac.ir/article-1-1253-en.html

Comparison of Maternal-Infant Attachment Behaviors and Social Support in Mothers of Healthy Newborn and Premature Newborn Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Z Pourmovahed

, A Aryaeenezhad

Department of Nursing Education, School of Nursing and Midwifery, ShahidSadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Abstract: (1400 Views)

ABSTRACTBackground & objectives: The birth of a premature baby is one of the factors that can lead to impaired attachment between them. Social support of parents, especially mothers of premature infants, not only helps the family to adjust to the baby's condition and hospitalization, but also has a great effect on promoting mothers' attachment behaviors. This study was done to compare of maternal-infant attachment behaviors and social support in mothers of healthy newborns and premature newborns hospitalized in neonatal intensive care.
Methods: This is a descriptive-comparative study performed on 136 mothers of healthy infants and premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Shohada-e-Kargar, Afshar and ShahidSadoughi hospitals. The samples were selected by convenient sampling method in 2020. A record sheet of Avant maternal- neonatal attachment and the Winfield and Tigman social support questionnaire were completed. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, chi-square, ANOVA and Pearson correlation were in SPSS 16 software. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The mean score of social support was higher in mothers of premature infants (21.51±6.47) than healthy infants (17.36±5.88) and a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (p<0.001).Also, the mean of attachment behavior in mothers of premature infants (30.7±13.36) was less than healthy newborns (39.78±10.43). In subcategories, the mean score of emotional (24.11±10.04) and proximity behaviors (14.59±1.01) were higher in mothers of healthy infants, but the mean score of caring behaviors subcategory (2.62±1.67) was higher in mothers of premature infants(p<0.05).
Conclusion: In this study social support and caring behaviors were higher in mothers of preterm infants. Also, attachment and sub-categories of emotional and proximity behaviors were more observed in mothers of healthy infants. It seems necessary for nurses to doing interventions for facilitating the mother-infant attachment process and provide more opportunities to support mothers in NICU.

Background & aim: The birth of a premature baby is one of the factors that can lead to impaired attachment between them. Social Support of parents, especially mothers of premature infants, not only helps the family to adjust to the babychr('39')s condition and hospitalization, but also has a great effect on promoting motherschr('39') attachment behaviors. This study was done to compare of maternal-infant attachment behaviors and social support in mothers of healthy newborn and premature newborn hospitalized in neonatal intensive care.
Methods: In this descriptive-comprative study 136 mothers of healthy infants and premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Shohada-e-Kargar, Afshar and Shahid Sadoughi hospitals participated in convenient sampling method in 2020. After obtaining informed consent, a demographic information questionnaire, a record sheet of Avant maternal- neonatal attachment and the Winfield and Tigman social support questionnaire were completed. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Independent t-test, chi-square, ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The mean of social support was higher in mothers of premature infants (21.51±6.47) than healthy infants (17.36±5.88) and a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in this regard (P<0.001). Also, the mean of attachment behavior in mothers of premature infants (30.7 ±13.36) was less than healthy newborns (39.78 ±10.43) and subcategories of emotional (24.11±10.04) and proximity behaviors(14.59±1.01) were higher in mothers of healthy infants but the subcategory of caring behaviors (2.62±1.67) was higher in mothers of premature infants (P <0.05).
Conclusion: In this study social support and caring behaviors were higher in mothers of preterm infants. Also, attachment and sub-categories of emotional and proximity behaviors were more observed in mothers of healthy infants. It seems necessary for nurses to doing interventions for facilitating the mother-infant attachment process and provide more opportunities to support mothers in NICU.

Keywords: Attachment Behaviors, Social Support, Mothers, Healthy Newborn, Premature Newborn

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Type of Study: descriptive | Subject: Mother and baby health
Received: 2020/12/12 | Accepted: 2021/03/14 | Published: 2021/03/19

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