Global Advanced Research Journal of Educational Research and Reviews (GARJERR) ISSN: 2315-5132

June 2014, 3(3): pp. 072-078

Copyright © 2014 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Relationships between parental demographic variables and parental stress over their hospitalized infants in NICU

Chiejina EN¹, Ebenebe RC² and Odira CC¹

¹Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences & Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nigeria

²Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria

Corresponding author Email: nkechichiejina@yahoo.com

Accepted 25 June, 2014

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between parental demographic variables and parental stress over their hospitalized infants in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The target population was 216 parents of high risk infants who were hospitalized in the NICU of two teaching hospitals in the South-East zone of Nigeria. Convenient sampling technique was adopted in the selection of the respondents. Two research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The instruments used for data collection were Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal intensive care unit and Parental Self-report Scale. Parent-infant demographic information was also obtained for the study. Mean score, standard deviation (SD) and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (rho) were used to answer the research questions while Chi-square, Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were adopted in testing the null hypotheses at 0.01 level of significance. The result indicated significant correlation between parental age and parental stress over NICU staff behaviour/ communication. Significant differences were also observed in parental stress for the NICU sights and sounds as well as infant behaviour and appearance with regard to number of children born by parents and sex of the parents.

Keywords: Demographic Variables, Infants, NICU, Parental Stress.