| Previous research has addressed the impact of the preterm birth and neonatal intensive care treatment of infants on their parents. The impact of poverty on child development and a family's ability to provide an optimal environment for children has also been studied. Greater understanding of the specific elements of poverty is needed to clarify a family's ability to cope with the experience of a preterm neonate. The purpose of this study was to examine the cumulative contribution of recent stressful events, amount of family social support, and education level on the level of stress experienced by parents of infants in the NICU. Two hypotheses served as the focus of the study: (1) Significant differences would be found among parents in the level of stress experienced in the NICU, in severity of recent stressful life events, and amount of social supports as a function of parent level of education, and (2) lower education level, fewer social supports, more recent stressful life events, and greater severity of the infant's illness would predict a greater level of parental stress to the NICU experience of their infant. Data were collected through measures completed by parents and by review of the child's medical file. Neither hypothesis was confirmed. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed within the context of intervention, policy and future research. |
