The impact of paternal feelings and stress on mother–child interactions and on the development of the preterm newborn

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the influence of fathers’ negative feelings, parenting stress and post-traumatic symptomatology experienced after the premature birth of their infant onmother–child interaction and on infant’s development in the perinatal period. Forty-five fathers and 45 mothersof preterm infants (GA = 30.25 ± 2.95; birth weight = 1288.02 ± 488.76) filled out:Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Parenting Stress Index Short Form. At 3 months of infants’ corrected age, mother–child interactions were assessed by Global Rating Scales (GRS) and the development of the preterms was tested by Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Higher scores in paternal feelings, stress and post-traumatic symptomatology predicted lower scores in Global Rating Scales dimensions and in the Bayley Scales of Infant Development scales. Feelings and stress experienced by fathers of preterms should be considered risk factors for the building of mother-child interaction and for the early language development of preterms.Abbreviations: BSID-III: Bayley Scales of Infant Development third edition; BW: Birth weight; CA: Corrected age; COG: Cognitive Scale; GA: Gestational age; GRS: Global Rating Scale; IES-R: Impact of Event Scale Revised; LANG: Language Scale; LANG EC: Expressive Communication Subtest; LANG RC: Receptive Communication Subtest; NICU: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; POMS: Profile of Mood States; PSI SF: Parenting Stress Index Short Form; PTSS: post-traumatic symptomatology