Citation

Youngblut JM, Brooten D. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2008; 23(2): 92-102.

Affiliation

College of Nursing&Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/01.HTR.0000314528.85758.30

PMID

18362763

PMCID

PMC2442865

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Investigate mothers' mental health, mother-child relationship, and family functioning 3 months after preschool children's head trauma and hospital discharge. DESIGN: Prospective survey. SETTING: Seven hospitals; families' homes. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty mothers of children (ages 3-6) with head trauma. MEASURES: Perceived injury severity, Mental Health Inventory, Parental Stressor Scale taken in pediatric intensive care unit 24 to 48 hours after admission; Mental Health Inventory, Parenting Stress Index, FACES II, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support taken at 3 months postdischarge. RESULTS: Injury severity had negative effects on mothers' mental health at 3 months after discharge, but not on the mother-child relationship and the family's functioning. Mothers' baseline mental health and ongoing support had positive effects on mother-child relationship and family adaptability. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers with greater stress and poorer mental health during their child's hospitalization may be at risk for negative mother-child and family outcomes. Interventions that decrease parents' stress during hospitalization and promote ongoing social support after discharge may diminish this risk.

Language: en