Effect of a Follow-up Program Involving an Early Intervention and Self-help Group on Parenting Stress, Depression, and Parenting Efficacy for Mothers of Premature Infants

Purpose: This study is intended to investigate the impact of an early intervention and follow-up program involving self-help groups on maternal parenting stress, depression, and parenting efficacy in families with premature infants.Methods: The study included 30 mothers in the experimental group and 29 in the control group, all of whom had premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Changes in dependent variables before and after the followup program were analyzed using paired t-tests with mean and standard deviation, and variables that differed in presurvey scores were analyzed using analysis of covariance with covariates.Results: Parenting stress decreased in the experimental group that participated in the follow-up program, while it increased in the control group. Depression decreased by 3.44 points in the intervention group and 1.76 points in the control group. Parenting efficacy increased by 3.03 points in the experimental group and decreased by 1.03 points in the control group after the program.Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of offering family-centered early interventions within existing hospitals or institutions, rather than relying solely on home visits, to promptly address the early developmental issues of premature infants, share information, and provide emotional support through regular self-help meetings.