Research in nursing & health
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Improving cognitive development of low-birth-weight premature infants with the COPE program: a pilot study of the benefit of early NICU intervention with mothers.
The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a parent-focused intervention program (COPE) on infant cognitive development and maternal coping. A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 42 mothers of low-birth-weight (LBW) premature infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with follow-up at 3 months' and 6 months' corrected ages. COPE mothers received the four-phase educational-behavioral program that began 2-4 days postbirth and continued through 1 week following discharge from the NICU. ⋯ Results indicated that COPE infants had significantly higher mental development scores at a 3 months' corrected age (M = 100.3) than did the comparison infants (M = 93.9), and this difference widened at 6 months' corrected age, with COPE infants scoring 14 points higher. COPE mothers were significantly less stressed by the NICU sights and sounds and had significantly stronger beliefs about what behaviors and characteristics to expect from their premature infants. Findings from this study support the need for further testing of early NICU interventions with parents to determine their effectiveness on parental coping and infant developmental outcomes.
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The relationship between empathy and caregiving appraisal and outcomes was examined among 140 informal caregivers of older adults. Caregivers with high cognitive empathy appraised the caregiving situation as less stressful and less threatening, were less depressed, and reported higher life satisfaction than did caregivers with low cognitive empathy. ⋯ There appeared to be distinct roles for emotional and cognitive empathy in informal caregiving outcomes. The study supported the important role of caregiving appraisal and resources in caregiving outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Mediating functions of maternal anxiety and participation in care on young children's posthospital adjustment.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal anxiety and mothers' participation in their children's care during hospitalization mediated the effects of a child behavior informational intervention for mothers on their children's posthospital negative behavioral change. Participants were 49 mothers and their young children, ages 24-68 months, who were unexpectedly hospitalized with unplanned medical or surgical conditions. ⋯ Findings indicated that the effects of child behavior information on children's posthospital negative behavioral change were mediated by maternal anxiety and participation in their children's care during hospitalization. Results of this study provide support for targeting mothers with informational interventions in order to enhance outcomes in hospitalized children.
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Multicenter Study
Qualitative assessment of hospitalized patients' satisfaction with pain management.
Patient evaluations of effectiveness of care and satisfaction with care are useful outcome indicators of pain management. The subiective, multidimensional nature of pain is best evaluated when outcome measures include the richness of qualitative data to more fully capture the range of patient experiences. A descriptive qualitative component was added to the American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire--Modified (1995) to determine critical indicators in the pain experience affecting patient satisfaction. ⋯ Satisfaction was most likely when providers effectively addressed pain control with the patient as an informed partner. Patients expressed dissatisfaction, even when pain was relieved, when providers appeared uncaring, were slow to respond, or lacked knowledge and skill. Our results offer clinicians new insights into how patients respond to pain, which could enable development of patient-oriented approaches to pain management improving quality and effectiveness of care and increasing patient satisfaction.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Thai versions of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and the Child Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) in Thai school age children. Subjects were 419 Thai students in grades 3-6 in three schools in Bangkok. Classrooms of students were randomly selected, and students within each classroom were divided into two groups to test the two instruments. ⋯ Internal consistencies were > .80. Test-retest reliability coefficient for the Thai CMFS was .80, and coefficients for the STAIC were .62 for A-State scale and .68 for A-Trait scale. Both instruments seem to be promising anxiety/fear measures for Thai school age children; however, the Thai version of STAIC needs modification to enhance reliability and validity.