title: SUPPORTING PRETERM INFANT ATTACHMENT AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: STAFF PERCEPTIONS.
abstract: The infant-parent relationship has been shown to be of particular significance to preterm infant socioemotional development. Supporting parents and infants in this process of developing their relationships is an integral part of neonatal intensive care; however, there is limited knowledge of NICU staff perceptions about this aspect of care. To explore NICU staff perceptions about attachment and socioemotional development of preterm infants, experience of training in this area and the emotional impact of their work. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of staff perceptions of the emotional experiences of parents and the developing parent-infant relationship in an NICU was conducted in a Level III NICU, after pilot testing, revision, and ethical approval. Fifty-seven (68%) of NICU staff responded to the survey. Respondents identified parents' emotional experiences such as "anxiety," "shock," "loss of control," and "lack of feelings of competence as parents" as highly prevalent. Infant cues of "responding to parent's voice" and "quieting-alerting" were ranked most highly; "crying" and "physiological changes" were ranked lowest. Preterm infant medical risk, maternal emotional state, and mental health are perceived to impact most highly on the developing relationship, as compared with infant state or behavior and socioeconomic factors. Fifty-three (93%) respondents felt confident, and 50 (87.8%) felt competent discussing their emotional experiences with parents. Fifty-four (95%) responded that attending to these areas was an integral part of their role; however, staff had seldom received education in this area. Respondents also perceived that specific psychological support for parents was lacking both during and after the infant's discharge. While all staff surveyed perceived the nature of their work to be emotionally stressful, there were differences among NICU staff disciplines and with years of experience in the NICU in terms of their perceptions about education in this area, the place of supervision for staff, and in relation to opportunities to discuss the emotional impact of the work on staff. NICU staff perceive their role as integral to supporting the developing parent-infant relationship and preterm infant socioemotional development; however, education in this area and provision of specific psychological support are lacking. Opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect on this aspect of their work should be developed and evaluated given the essential, but emotionally challenging, nature of their work with preterm babies and their parents.
authors.affiliation: National Children's Research Centre and National Maternity Hospital, Dublin.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Twohig
authors.affiliation: Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children and University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reulbach
authors.affiliation: National Children's Research Centre and University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Figuerdo
authors.affiliation: National Maternity Hospital and University College Dublin, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children and University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McNicholas
authors.affiliation: National Children's Research Centre, National Maternity Hospital, University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
authors.forename: Eleanor Joan
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Molloy
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002657:Child Development; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Bindung; Frühgeborene; Mitarbeitererkenntnisse; Neugeborenen-Intensivstation; Nourrisson prématuré; Unidad de Cuidado Neonatal Intensivo; Unité Néonatale de Soinx Intensifs; afectividad; attachement; attachment; infante prematuro; neonatal intensive care; percepciones del personal; perceptions des employés; premature birth; socioemotional development; staff perceptions; スタッフの認知; 依附; 工作人員的看法; 愛着; 新生児集中治療室; 新生兒重症監護室; 早期産児; 早產兒