Effects of Positive Psychology-Based Program for the Depressed Pregnant Women

Purpose@#This study examined the effects of a positive psychology-based program for depressed pregnant women. @*Methods@#Of the 221 pregnant women who were screened, 24 were recruited from 4 local women’s clinic in Daegu city, South Korea. Subjects were at 6–29 weeks of gestation and scored 9–13 points on the Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Subjects were assigned to experimental (n= 12) and control (n=12) groups. The program consisted of ten 120-minute sessions conducted twice a week. Data were collected during the period between December 21, 2017 and April 12, 2018 and analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN (ver. 21.0). Homogeneity of the experimental and control groups was evaluated by chi-square test and t-test. Hypotheses were tested by repeated measure analysis of variance. @*Results@#The results revealed that in terms of stress coping styles, the active coping style (group*time= 15.23, p<0.001) increased, while the passive coping style decreased (group*time=15.27, p<0.001). Perceived spouse support (group*time=19.45, p<0.001), self-esteem (group*time=17.39, p<0.001), perinatal depression (group*time=78.77, p<0.001), and flourish (group*time=57.56, p<0.001) have significantly improved in the experimental group compared with the control group. @*Conclusion@#These findings indicate that positive psychology-based program can be useful for pregnant women already suffering from depression to prevent perinatal depression.

Effects of Positive Psychology-Based Program for the Depressed Pregnant Women

Purpose@#This study examined the effects of a positive psychology-based program for depressed pregnant women. @*Methods@#Of the 221 pregnant women who were screened, 24 were recruited from 4 local women’s clinic in Daegu city, South Korea. Subjects were at 6–29 weeks of gestation and scored 9–13 points on the Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Subjects were assigned to experimental (n= 12) and control (n=12) groups. The program consisted of ten 120-minute sessions conducted twice a week. Data were collected during the period between December 21, 2017 and April 12, 2018 and analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN (ver. 21.0). Homogeneity of the experimental and control groups was evaluated by chi-square test and t-test. Hypotheses were tested by repeated measure analysis of variance. @*Results@#The results revealed that in terms of stress coping styles, the active coping style (group*time= 15.23, p<0.001) increased, while the passive coping style decreased (group*time=15.27, p<0.001). Perceived spouse support (group*time=19.45, p<0.001), self-esteem (group*time=17.39, p<0.001), perinatal depression (group*time=78.77, p<0.001), and flourish (group*time=57.56, p<0.001) have significantly improved in the experimental group compared with the control group. @*Conclusion@#These findings indicate that positive psychology-based program can be useful for pregnant women already suffering from depression to prevent perinatal depression.

Life Stress, Social Support, and Antepartum Depression among Married Immigrant Women from Southeast Asia

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate life stress, social support, and antepartum depression among Southeast Asian immigrant women married to Korean men. METHODS: Ninety-three subjects were recruited from local women's clinics and multicultural family support centers in D City. The instruments used were the life stress scale, social support scale, and K-EPDS. All the instruments were translated into their corresponding mother languages (Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Philippine) and notarized. RESULTS: The item mean scores of life stress and social support were 2.65 and 3.17, respectively, on a 5-point Likert scale. The mean score of antepartum depression was 10.16, indicating that they were generally in a depressive state. A positive correlation was observed between life stress and antepartum depression (r=.59, p<.001). Social support was negatively correlated with life stress (r=-.42, p<.001) and antepartum depression (r=-.39, p<.001). The best predictors for antepartum depression were life stress, marital satisfaction, and emotional support, and they explained 43% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Antepartum depression in Southeast Asian immigrant brides was significantly associated with life stress as well as lack of emotional support. Emotional support may reduce their life stress and antepartum depression.

Effects on Maternal Attachment, Parenting Stress, and Maternal Confidence of Systematic Information for Mothers of Premature Infants

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of systematic information on maternal attachment, parenting stress and maternal confidence of mothers of premature infants. METHODS: Using a non-equivalent control group pre-post quasi-experimental design, 42 participants were assigned to one of two groups, an experimental group (n=20), which received systematic information; and a control (n=22), which received the usual discharge education. Prior to the intervention, baseline data were collected (pretest) and then the systematic information was provided four times for the experimental group. Maternal attachment, parenting stress and maternal confidence were measured. Data were collected three times: Seven to 10 days prior to discharge, day of discharge, and two weeks after discharge. RESULTS: Mothers in the experimental group had significantly higher scores in maternal attachment (F=6.16, p=.005), lower parenting stress scores (F=5.56, p=.004), and higher scores for maternal confidence (F=16.50, p<.001) than mothers in the control group. These tendencies were progressively enhanced even two weeks after discharge from the hospital. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that provision of systematic information to mothers with premature infants is an effective intervention to enhance mothers' maternal attachment, decrease parenting stress, and enhance maternal confidence.

Factors Influencing Parenting Stress in Primiparas / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing parenting stress in primiparas. METHOD: The participants in this study were 198 primiparas of infants aged 1-6 months who visited well baby clinics in 5 hospitals. The data were collected from April 15 to June 15, 2003. RESULTS: The mean score for parenting stress was 2.4 of a possible 5 and thus considered average. The score for parenting stress was significantly correlated with the level of maternal perception of the infant and the level of social support. The score for parenting stress was significantly different according to the education level of the primiparas and prenatal management. For the primiparas, social support(20%) and maternal perception of the infant(9%) were significant predictors explaining parenting stress. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing interventions to improve maternal perception of the infant and increase social support should be provided for primiparas in order to reduce parenting stress.

Parenting Stress, Maternal Sensitivity to Infant Cues and Child Rearing Environment of First-time Mothers / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify relations among the parenting stress, maternal sensitivity to infant cues, parenting environment of first-time mothers. METHOD: The participants were 194 first-time mothers of babies aged 1-6 months who visited well-baby clinics in 5 hospitals. The data were collected from April 15 to June 15, 2003. RESULTS: The parenting stress level was moderate with a mean score of 2.4(range 1-5). The parent domain and parent-child relationship domain of the parenting stress scale were significantly correlated with maternal sensitivity to infant feeding cues (r=-.178, p<.05; r=-.197, p<.01). Parenting stress was significantly correlated with childrearing environment(r=-2.19, p<.01). Parenting stress and childrearing environment were significantly different according to the educational level of the mothers and their prenatal care. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing interventions to reduce parenting stress in first-time mothers are needed to improve maternal sensitivity to infant cues and childrearing environment which foster infant development.

Needs Assessment for Information and Support of Parents of Children with Epilepsy / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study investigated the need for information and social support in parents of children with epilepsy. METHODS: A total of 119 parents of children with epilepsy were recruited and asked to fill out questionnaires. RESULTS: Of 119 parents, two-third reported that they received full and sufficient information about their child's disease and its management but one-third felt the information was insufficient and incomplete. Most parents (62.2%) felt at loss when their child had a seizure, either at home or at school. They wanted information on the causes of seizures, adequate steps deal with seizure and steps they should take to become adequate and supportive parents for their children. However, most parents were reluctant to disclose the disease or to receive support from outsiders. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the fact that most parents received sufficient information about the management of epilepsy, they felt at a loss when their child had a seizure attack. Therefore nurses should give specific instruction on seizure management and assess the needs of parents on a regular basis.

Children with Epilepsy: Quality of Life and Management / 아동간호학회지

The purpose of this article is to describe the overview of current medical treatments of childhood epilepsy in Korea and to review several recent nursing researches related to quality of life problems, especially psychological functioning in children with epilepsy and the stress of the family. The prognosis of childhood epilepsy has been improved considerably and about 80% of patients can now be expected to achieve complete seizure control by the antiepileptic drug treatment. Even for the intractable epilepsy, with the combination of ketogenic diet program and antiepileptic drug therapy or surgical treatment, the prognosis became very much better than before. The majority of research has reported that children with epilepsy were experiencing quality of life problems. They are at risk for impaired functioning, compared to either general population controls or to other chronic illness groups such as asthma and diabetes. The ultimate goal of providing care to children with epilepsy is to control seizures while facilitating an optimal quality of life for the child as well as the family. Recommendations are included for future research and intervention programs for children, parents and our society.

Weight Gain Study of Very Low Birth Weight Infants in Relation to Gestational Age and Birth Weight / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation of gestational age and birth weight with weight gain of very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) during their hospital stay. METHOD: This is a 5 year retrospective study of which data were collected through review of medical records. Subjects were 124 VLBW infants with a birth weight more than 1000g and less than 1500g who received neonatal intensive care at the university hospital between January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2001. RESULT: After calculating the z scores of birth weights and discharge weights, z scores of discharge weight and birth weight were compared with the median weight of a fetus of comparable gestational age based on an intrauterine growth reference. There was a significant difference between z scores of birth weight and discharge weight(t=11.60, df=122, p=0.000). Regardless of intensive care during the prolonged hospital stay, VLBW infants showed slow growth rate compared with the median weight of a fetus of comparable gestational age. CONCLUSION: VLBW infants developed a poor velocity of weight gain during the prolonged hospital stay after birth. The development worsened during the period of physiological weight loss and regain, and they did not reach to comparable growth rate of normal fetus even at the time of discharge. This poor growth velocity of VLBW infants influence negatively for their future growth. Therefore nureses who work at the neonatal intensive care unit must develop an effective nursing intervention protocol to promote the velocity of weight gain and to conduct the parental educational sessions to emphasize the importance of weight gain for VLBW infants at home.

Effect of Acupressure on Nausea-vomiting and Weight Change among Pediatric Cancer Patients Receiving Anti-cancer Chemotherapy / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to confirm the effect of acupressure on the emesis control and the weight change among pediatric cancer patients receiving anti-cancer chemotherapy. METHOD: Forty pediatric cancer patients, receiving the induction stage of chemotherapy with MTX and vincristine, were divided into control(n=20) and the intervention group(n=20). Both groups received regular anti-emesis medication, but the intervention group was added acupressure maneuver for 5 minutes on P6 point for 3 times a day for 5days: before chemotherapy, lunch and dinner by investigator during the hospitalization and by mother at home. The instruments for this study were Rhode's(1986) Index of nausea, vomiting and retching(INVR), Cas electric scale and pamphlet developed by researcher. RESULT: Significant differences in the degree of nausea and vomiting were observed between the control and the intervention group as measured by INVR(t=4.73; p=.01). Repeated measures ANOVA also shows that the group effect was significant(F=22.39, P=.01) as was the time effect(F=380.35, P=.01). The group by time interaction was also significant(F=5.27, P=.01). Acupressure maneuver was apparently effective in reducing the degree of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. There were also statistically significant weight loss noted in the control group than the intervention group(t=5.42, p=.01). CONCLUSION: Acupressure on P6 point shows an effective adjunct maneuver in reducing the degree of nausea and vomiting and conserving the weight in pediatric cancer patients. Therefore, it is proposed that acupressure should be applied as supportive nursing intervention strategies to relieve chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting and to prevent weight loss in pediatric cancer patients.

A Survey of Disinfection Methods for Formula Bottle / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: There has been a number of reports on elution of bisphenol-A, an endocrine disrupting chemical, from milk bottles, all concerning the potential health effect of the substance. In this study, we measured the elution of bisphenol-A from milk bottles during boiling-water sterilization, to suggest a safe sterilization method. METHOD: Through the survey of 200 mothers, 78.5% of them expressed their concern on the possible harmful effect of bisphenol-A, which might be eluted from the bottles. And it was found that most mothers use boiling-water to sterilize bottles; duration of boiling bottles could be divided into three groups of 3, 5, and 10 minutes. We measured the elution of bisphenol- A from three different brands of bottles, subject to various mode of sterilization found in the survey. RESULT: In all the measurements, the concentration of the eluted bisphenol-A was in the range of 0.3 - 0.7 ppb, far below 2.5ppm, the level set up by Korea Food & Drug Administration(KFDA) for a potential harmful effect. CONCLUSION: Although trace amount of bisphenol -A can be eluted from polycarbonate milk bottles during sterilization, and bottle feeding, the amount is found to be too small to cause any health related impact for infants.

Current Status of Korean Premature Infant Care and its Prospective / 아동간호학회지

Advances in neonatal care system and research have resulted in an increased survival rate among low birth weight infants in the industrialized countries. Recent Korean neonatal mortality and morbidity statistics, and current status of Korean neonatal intensive care facilities were reviewed here for the sake of future improvement and research.Morbidity statistics revealed that perinatal diseases accounted for 80% of the death of premature infants implying the possibility of its reduction by the vigorous prenatal care service in future. On the basis of extensive studies of nutritional support and growth rate of premature infants, commercial formulas for premature infants have been developed and various aspects of feeding techniques are standardized. However, problem of growth deficit of premature infants remains unsolved as medical problem. NICU specialists are challenged with the tasks of prenatal education or provision of care that minimizes the neurodevelopmental problems seen in preterm infants, various short-term outcome researches have been reported and those are reviewed here to promote research interest in the field of neonatal nursing. Systemic long-term outcome studies are also awaited in Korea for the formulation of welfare policy in future. Nursing science has to embrace all these interdisciplinary studies as their own research field in collaboration with neonatologist, nutritionist, rehabilitation therapist, social workers and teachers.

Effects of Sensory Stimulation Therapy on the Improvement of Growth and Behavioral Development for Instituted Infants / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sensory stimulation therapy on the physical growth and behaviors of infants accommodated at two Korean orphanages. METHOD: Thirty-eight full term infants were assigned to a control (n=20) or an experimental (n=18) group within 14 days of birth. In addition to routine orphanage care, infants in the experimental group received 15 minutes of massage twice a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. RESULT: Compared to the control group, the experimental group had gained significantly more weight and had larger increases in length and head circumference after the 4-week intervention period. In addition, the experimental group showed significantly better behavioral performance in the scoring of habituation (e.g., light), motor (e.g., motor maturity), and state range (e.g., peak of excitement, rapidity of build-up) behavioral clusters of Brazelton's NBAS. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that sensory stimulation therapy may facilitate the physical and behavioral development of the newborn infants placed in the orphanages.

Behavioral Characteristics of Local Korean Neonates by Brazelton's NBAS / 아동간호학회지

This study assessed behavioral characteristics of 73 normal neonates in Daegu area using the NBAS. Being one of few studies on this topic, the study is to document and to accumulate data on the neonatal behaviors of Korean babies. Overall scores were at moderate levels in 6 behavioral clusters including Habituation, Social Interactive, Motor System, State Organization, and State Regulation. Autonomic Stability showed relative stableness. Scores of Orientation were higher in neonates of working mothers and rural mothers. Neonates of mothers with no abortion history have higher scores in Motor System and State Organization. Score of State organization was higher in neonates of mothers with no habitual use of amenity during their pregnancy. Scores of Habituation and State Organization, as well as scores of Motor System with State Organization, State Regulation and Autonomic Stability were positively correlated. Scores of Habituation and State Organization indicate that babies are agreeable and even tameable that is advantageous for attachment to caregiver.

Assessment of pain and adequacy of pain management in hospitalized cancer patients / 간호학회지

The author investigated pain experiences of 90 cancer patients and adequacy of pain treatment they have received during their stay at a large medical center in T city between October 1994 and August 1995. Pain was assessed by the Shortened BPQ and results are summarized as follows: As for ratings of "worst pain" during the 24 hour period, 70% of the patients reported they had "severe" pain. As for ratings on "pain now" 43% of the cancer patients reported "moderate to severe" pain. Over 46% of the patients reported a pain relief score of 0(not at all) or 1(somewhat) even after receiving pain medication. Adequacy of analgesic treatment was evaluated by comparing the patient's reported level of pain and the analgesic use, namely, the pain management index(PMI). The PMI indicated that 58% of the patients were undertreated for the pain control. In review of nurse's notes, systematic pain assessment was scarcely recorded, although pain documentation appeared in 70% of the notes; and the contents were mostly simple description. In conclusion, the results of patient's pain ratings, the PMI and poor pain documentation in the nurse's notes implied poor pain assessment and management.