Mindfulness and Relaxation-Based Interventions to Reduce Parental Stress, Anxiety and/or Depressive Symptoms in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review
Author: Kristin Harrison Ginsberg1, Jane Alsweiler2, Mohsen Alyami3, Anna Serlachius3
Affiliation:
1 Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Building 507, Level 3, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand. kgin978@aucklanduni.ac.nz.
2 Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
3 Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Conference/Journal: J Clin Psychol Med Settings
Date published: 2022 Aug 19
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/s10880-022-09902-8. , Word Count: 159
Parents with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness and relaxation-based interventions are effective in reducing distress in the general postpartum population. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate whether mindfulness and/or relaxation-based interventions reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in NICU parents. A total of five studies met the inclusion criteria and were assessed for quality using the Downs & Black Checklist. The most consistent results in this review suggest that mindfulness and/or relaxation-based interventions may be effective at reducing anxiety symptoms in NICU parents, with moderate to large effect sizes, and show promise in reducing depressive symptoms. The findings show limited potential benefits on parental stress. Methodological weaknesses, heterogeneous intervention factors (including format and length), and varying participant adherence hinder the ability to make strong conclusions. Directions for future research are discussed.
Keywords: Mindfulness; NICU; Parents; Relaxation; Stress.
PMID: 35984549 DOI: 10.1007/s10880-022-09902-8
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