Mastery of stress in mothers of preterm infants.

PURPOSE: To explore the relationships among stress, social support, mastery, and depression.

DESIGN

Descriptive correlational study.

SETTING

60-bed, Level 3 NICU in an urban medical center in a Mid-Atlantic state.

PARTICIPANTS

31 mothers who delivered infants born between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. Inclusion criteria included no maternal illness or complications requiring hospitalization beyond four days, and no report of a recent major stressful life event other than the birth of the child.

MAJOR OUTCOME MEASURES: The Mastery of Stress Instrument, the Account of Social Resources Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale.

RESULTS

Social support was positively related to mastery and inversely related to depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers of preterm infants experienced significant levels of stress and depression in the early postpartum period.