title: Parental stress management using relaxation techniques in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of relaxation techniques on the stress/anxiety of parents with hospitalised premature infants, three months following discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary maternity hospital including 59 parents, who were randomised into two groups: 31 in the intervention group and 28 in the control group. Parents in the intervention group practiced three different relaxation techniques, in addition to undergoing the same information-based training courses as did the parents of the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected 10-15 days post delivery and three months post discharge. The assessment measures included the Perceived Stress Scale, the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory 1 and 2 and salivary cortisol levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The psychometric assessment at baseline was comparable between the two groups. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in trait anxiety (p=0.02) compared with the control group three months post discharge. The perceived stress decreased in both groups (p=0.699). No difference in salivary cortisol levels was detected. The multivariate analysis revealed that higher initial stress levels (p<0.001) and university/college education (p=0.003) were associated with higher parental stress, whereas moderate-to-high income satisfaction was associated with lower parental stress (p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further long-term follow-up of families with a neonatal intensive care unit experience could assess more delayed effects of stress management by relaxation techniques.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Stress Management and Health Promotion, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fotiou
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, MITERA Paediatric Infirmary, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: pevlast@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Petros V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Vlastarakos
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens, "P. & A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Chrysa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bakoula
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, "Elena Venizelou" Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papagaroufalis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, "Richard M. Fairbanks" School of Public Health, University of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bakoyannis
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Stress Management and Health Promotion, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Darviri
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chrousos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Anxiety; Infant; NICU; Neonate; Parent; Prematurity; Relaxation techniques; Stress