Comparison of Mental Health and Self-Efficacy of Mothers with Preterm and Term Infants: A Case-Control Study

Parental adjustment with the birth of a preterm baby is often associated with stress, anxiety, and concern. This study aimed to compare mental health and self-efficacy of mothers with preterm and term infants. This case-control study was conducted on 108 women visiting the healthcare centers of Tabriz (36 mothers with preterm infants as the case group and 72 mothers with term infants as the control group) in 2018. The participants were selected by clustering sampling. The general health questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the maternal self-efficacy questionnaire (MSQ) were used to collect data. The multivariate linear regression model was used for data analysis. The mean self-efficacy score was 30.5 ± 5.6 in the case group and 29.1 ± 4.1 in the control group from the attainable score of 10 to 40. The mean total score of mental health was 27.5 ± 7.5 in the case group and 26.1 ± 8.2 in the control group ranging from 28 to 84. Moreover, 69.4% of the mothers in the case group and 66.7% in the control group had mental health disorder with no significant difference between them (P = 0.771). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of self-efficacy (0.168) and mental health (0.930) based on the multivariate linear regression model with adjusting the variables of mother and spouse’s age and gestational age. The results showed a high prevalence of mental health disorder in both groups without significant difference between the groups. This shows the importance of taking measures to improve the mental health of mothers with preterm and term infants.