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Biomedical subjects

M A Kasper

Publications and source records attributed to M A Kasper.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

The stress response of mothers and fathers of preterm infants.

Differences in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environmental stress, uncertainty, and anxiety of 23 mothers and fathers (couples) whose premature infants were hospitalized in an NICU were explored. Alterations in the parental role were found to be stressful for both mothers and fathers, with mothers reporting significantly greater stress in this area than did fathers. Stress and uncertainty decreased significantly over time. Mothers and fathers did not differ in level of anxiety. Findings suggest that both mothers and fathers are distressed by the admission of a premature to an NICU; however, mothers may be more distressed by certain aspects of the experience.

Adolescent

The neonatal intensive care unit environment: sources of stress for parents.

Many aspects of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are stressful to parents, including prolonged hospitalization, alterations in parenting, exposure to a technical environment, and the appearance of their small, fragile infant. To identify potential NICU stressors for parents, levels of stress these experiences engender, and their relationship to anxiety, parents of infants hospitalized in three NICUs were interviewed using the Parental Stressor Scale: NICU and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Alterations in parental role caused by the infant's illness generated the greatest stress. The second highest areas of stress were the infant's appearance and behavior. State anxiety levels were higher than normative means and significantly related to stress scores.

Adolescent