Korean J Child Health Nurs.  2004 Jul;10(3):340-349.

The Effects of the Integrated NICU Hospitalization Education on Maternal Attachment, Maternal Self-Esteem, and Postpartum Depression in the Mothers of High-Risk Infants

• Ahn YM
• Lee SM

Abstract

PURPOSE
The quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of the integrated NICU hospitalization education on maternal attachment, maternal self-esteem, and EPDS in the 26 mothers of high-risk infants(HRI). METHOD: The subjects were divided into the experimental group to received the integrated NICU hospitalization education included the enforced direct education of NICU and HRI to the mothers using a booklet and the provision of the neomaternal exposure as soon as possible after delivery. The control group received the routine education of the NICU hospitalization, mostly including the admission process and the NICU rules delivering to the husband. The research variables were maternal attachment, maternal self-esteem, and EPDS.
RESULTS
The results showed the increases in these variables after the integrated education in experimental group compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION
It supports the benefits of the early direct NICU education and the neomaternal exposures on maternal adaptation process in the mothers of HRI.

MeSH Terms

Depression, Postpartum*
Education*
Female
Hospitalization*
Humans
Infant*
Mothers*
Pamphlets
Postpartum Period*
Spouses
Child Health