Being a mother of preterm multiples in the context of socioeconomic disadvantage: perceived stress and psychological symptoms

Objective: This study aimed to examine the differences between mothers of preterm multiples and mothers of preterm singletons in perceived stress and maternal psychological symptoms, and to explore the putative adverse amplified effect of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Method: Ninety-five mothers of one-year-olds born preterm participated in this cross-sectional study. Data collection was carried out in two public hospitals from Northern Portugal. To assess maternal perceived daily stress and psychological symptoms, mothers completed two questionnaires. Mothers reported on socioeconomic factors, including family poverty, parent unemployment and low education, and two groups of family socioeconomic disadvantage were created. A child medical risk index was calculated.
Results: Results indicated that mothers of preterm multiples reported higher levels of stress than mothers of preterm singletons. Moreover, and specifically regarding psychological functioning, mothers of preterm multiples reported more symptoms than mothers of preterm singletons, but only when living in a context of socioeconomic adversity.
Conclusions: The results of the present study have important implications for practice. Mothers of preterm multiples are at higher risk to present mental health difficulties, in comparison to mothers of singletons, especially when exposed to socioeconomic adversities. The development of psychosocial intervention programs and public policies are of decisive importance in helping mothers of multiples adjusting to parenthood.
Objetivo: Este estudo visou examinar as diferenc¸as entre mães de múltiplos prematuros e mães
de filhos únicos prematuros a respeito de estresse percebido e sintomas psicológicos maternos
e explorar o efeito adverso amplificado putativo da desvantagem socioeconômica.
Método: 95 mães de crianc¸as com idade de um ano nascidas prematuras participaram deste
estudo transversal. A coleta de dados foi feita em dois hospitais públicos do norte de Portugal.
Para avaliar o estresse diário percebido e os sintomas psicológicos maternos, as mães
responderam dois questionários. As mães relataram fatores socioeconômicos, incluindo pobreza
familiar, desemprego dos pais e baixo nível de escolaridade, e foram criados dois grupos de
desvantagem socioeconômica familiar. Foi calculado um índice de risco médico infantil.
Resultados: Os resultados indicaram que as mães de múltiplos prematuros relataram maiores
níveis de estresse que as mães de filhos únicos prematuros. Além disso e especificamente com
relac¸ão ao funcionamento psicológico, as mães de múltiplos prematuros relataram mais sintomas
que as mães de filhos únicos prematuros, porém apenas quando morando em um contexto
de adversidade socioeconômica.
Conclusões: Os resultados deste estudo possuem importantes implicac¸ões para a prática. As
mães de múltiplos prematuros apresentam maior risco de dificuldades de saúde mental, em
comparac¸ão a mães de filhos únicos, principalmente quando expostas a adversidades socioeconômicas.
O desenvolvimento de programas de intervenc¸ão psicossocial e políticas públicas é
de importância decisiva ao ajudar as mães de filhos múltiplos a se ajustarem à maternidade.
The authors are very grateful to the children and parents who participated in the study.
This study was conducted within the Psychology Research Center, University of Minho, and partially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BPD/100994/2014 assigned to the first author; also grant SFRH/BD/86075/2012) and by the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds and when applicable co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (UID/PSI/01662/2013).
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion