Spiritual Well-Being, Parental Stress, and Coping strategies: A cross-sectional study of Iranian Mothers with Preterm neonates

The present study aimed to assess the correlation of spiritual well-being with parental stress and coping strategies in mothers with preterm neonates hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

This prospective cross-sectional study assessed Spiritual Well-Being (SWB), parental stress, and coping strategies in mothers (n=200) of preterm infants admitted to NICUs. Mothers were further divided based on socio-demographic characteristics, such as mother’s age, gestational age, average scores at school, mothers’ literacy level, the birth rank, cesarean or vaginal delivery, number of children, job, and duration of hospital stay.

The results pointed out that 46.6% and 53.4%of mothers had moderate and high levels of SWB, respectively. Moreover, the religion domain (53.30±7.33) had a higher score, in comparison with the existence domain (46.03±7.15). The planful problem-solving was the most frequently used (46.02±11.46) strategy. Religion domain had a significant positive and negative correlation with planful problem-solving strategy (r=0.439**; P≤0/000) and emotional-driven coping strategy (r=-0.420**; P≤0/000), respectively. There was a significant negative correlation (r=-0.322**; P≤.0/000) between the existence domain and the emotional-driven coping strategy.

Regarding the close interrelationship between mothers and NICU nursing staff, it is clear that nurses can help mothers to cope with stress more quickly and efficiently using accurate assessment and appropriate intervention in terms of their spiritual and religious beliefs.