The Effect of Mindfulness on Posttraumatic Growth of Mothers of Premature Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in mothers of premature infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Iran. Sixty mothers were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received two MBSR sessions each week over the course of three weeks. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was used to collect data before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention. Based on repeated measures ANOVA, group-by-time interaction effect was significant and there was a statistically significant difference in the mean PTG scores of mothers in the two groups over time (p = 0.004). MBSR increased PTG in mothers. As a result, it is suggested that this approach be used in psychological support programs for mothers who have premature infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units.

The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Posttraumatic Stress of Mothers With Premature Neonates Admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Mothers experience posttraumatic stress disorder with the birth of a premature neonate. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on posttraumatic stress of mothers with premature neonates in Iran. Sixty mothers with premature neonates were selected by using convenience sampling and stratified random allocation. Mindfulness-based stress reduction was trained and mean posttraumatic stress disorder was measured. Mean posttraumatic stress scores of the 2 groups were statistically significant immediately and 1 month after the intervention (independent t test, P < .05). Posttraumatic stress of both groups reduced over time, but this reduction was more significant in the intervention group (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P < .05). Concerning the positive role of mindfulness-based stress reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder of mothers, it is recommended to use this approach in care programs of mothers with premature neonates.