A Comparative Analysis of Anxiety, Depression, and Hopelessness Levels in Parents After Retinopathy of Prematurity Examination.

PURPOSE: To evaluate how permitting parents to be present during their infant's retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) staging examination affects their levels of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness.

METHODS

This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at two ROP centers, each following its routine parental attendance protocol. In the parent group, parents were permitted to accompany their infants during screenings, whereas in the no parent group, they were not. Parents completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Hopelessness Scale immediately following their infant's first ROP examination.

RESULTS

A total of 123 parents participated, with 65 in the parent group and 58 in the no parent group. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding demographic and clinical variables, except for the proportion of mothers (P = .030). Anxiety, depression, and hopelessness did not significantly differ between the groups. Mothers exhibited higher depression scores than fathers in both groups (P = .011 for the parent group; P = .036 for the no parent group) and higher anxiety scores in the parent group (P = .029). Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) duration positively correlated with anxiety (r = 0.33, P < .001) and depression (r = 0.25, P = .006). Gestational age and birth weight showed weak negative correlations with anxiety (r = -0.29, P = .001; r = -0.25, P = .006, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Witnessing ROP examinations did not significantly affect parental psychological outcomes. Notably, mothers experienced higher emotional distress than fathers, possibly due to extended NICU stays. Considering parents' opinions before including them in ROP examinations is essential for empathetic and ethical practice.