Parental stress management using relaxation techniques in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomised controlled trial. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fotiou, Catherine; Vlastarakos, Petros V.; Bakoula, Chrysa; Papagaroufalis, Konstantinos; Bakoyannis, George; Darviri, Christine; Chrousos, George
• Is Part Of: Intensive and critical care nursing. Volume 32(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 20
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: Anxiety -- Infant -- Neonate -- NICU -- Parent -- Prematurity -- Relaxation techniques -- Stress; Intensive care nursing -- Periodicals; Critical Illness -- nursing -- Periodicals; Intensive Care -- Periodicals; Nursing Care -- Periodicals; Intensive care nursing; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.028
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2015.08.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-3397

Abstract

Summary: Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of relaxation techniques on the stress/anxiety of parents with hospitalised premature infants, three months following discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. Study design: A randomised controlled trial was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary maternity hospital including 59 parents, who were randomised into two groups: 31 in the intervention group and 28 in the control group. Parents in the intervention group practiced three different relaxation techniques, in addition to undergoing the same information-based training courses as did the parents of the control group. Data collection: Data were collected 10–15 days post delivery and three months post discharge. The assessment measures included the Perceived Stress Scale, the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory 1 and 2 and salivary cortisol levels. Results: The psychometric assessment at baseline was comparable between the two groups. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in trait anxiety ( p = 0.02) compared with the control group three months post discharge. The perceived stress decreased in both groups ( p = 0.699). No difference in salivary cortisol levels was detected. The multivariate analysis revealed that higher initial stress levels ( p < 0.001) and university/college education ( p = 0.003) were associated with higher parental stress, whereas moderate-to-high income satisfaction was associated with lower parental stress ( p = 0.003). Conclusion: Further long-term follow-up of families with a neonatal intensive care unit experience could assess more delayed effects of stress management by relaxation techniques.