ORIGINAL PAPERS PRACE ORYGINALNE

How prematurity of children affects mental functioning of their parents? Jak wcześniactwo dzieci wpływa na psychiczne funkcjonowanie ich rodziców? Magdalena Gruszczyńska, Gabriela Sierpień-Wójcik, Monika Bąk-Sosnowska, Małgorzata Perlak

Keywords:

prematurity, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), parents, emotional, psychological

Słowa kluczowe: wcześniactwo, OITN, rodzice, emocje, psychologiczny

Zakład Psychologii, Katedra Filozofii i Nauk Humanistycznych, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach Magdalena Gruszczyńska, MS Monika Bąk-Sosnowska, PhD Klinika Neonatologii, Oddział Intensywnej Terapii Noworodka, Szpital Uniwersytecki w Krakowie Gabriela Sierpień-Wójcik, MS Centrum Dydaktyki i Symulacji Medycznej, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach Małgorzata Perlak, MS

CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: mgr Magdalena Gruszczyńska Zakład Psychologii Katedra Filozofii i Nauk Humanistycznych Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny ul. Medyków 12 40-752 Katowice tel.: 32-208-86-45 [email protected]

Abstract: Background. Premature birth is a traumatic event for both the new baby and the parents. Abrupt termination of pregnancy turns an adaptation period of waiting for a child into the anxious preoccupation about his health and life. Aim. To evaluate the level of anxiety of parents, whose children were hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), due to prematurity. Material and methods. We studied 101 parents of premature infants, treated in the NICU. Most of the respondents were women (53.47%), persons aged 31–40 years (48.51%), residents of large cities (39.6%), and persons with higher level of education (63.37%). The Inventory of State-Trait Anxiety STAI C.D. Spielberger and the proprietary study questionnaire were used. Results. In the study group, an average level of the trait of anxiety (5 sten), and high levels of the state of anxiety (7 sten) have been shown. Statistically significant differences in the intensity of the state of anxiety (p