Zusammenfassung
Anliegen: Die vorgestellte Studie prüft, ob die Frühgeburt
eines Kindes für Eltern traumatisierend wirken kann und Risiko- bzw.
Schutzvariablen für eine Traumatisierung identifizierbar sind.
Methode: Bei 65 Müttern und 13 Vätern wurde retrospektiv
die traumatische Wirkung der Frühgeburt einen Monat, ein Jahr und mehr als
2 Jahre nach der Geburt sowie der mögliche Schutzfaktor
Partnerschaftsqualität und potentielle Risikofaktoren (dissoziatives
Erleben in der Situation der Frühgeburt, medizinische Risiken des Kindes)
erhoben.
Ergebnisse: Die Frühgeburt des Kindes wirkt bei einem
erheblichen Teil der Eltern und vor allem der Mütter traumatisierend, das
Ausmaß dissoziativen Erlebens in der Situation der Frühgeburt sowie
die medizinischen Risiken des Kindes korrelieren mit der Stärke der
traumatischen Einwirkung.
Schlussfolgerungen: Die Ergebnisse machen deutlich, dass
möglichst frühzeitige sekundäre Prävention in Form von
psychologischer Krisenintervention sinnvoll ist. Es lassen sich konkrete
Folgerungen für elternbezogene Interventionen ableiten.
Traumatisation of Parents Resulting from Premature Birth of their
Baby
Objective: This empirical study examines the traumatisation of
parents resulting from the premature birth of their baby, as well as potential
protection and risk factors. In literature, the psychological effects
experienced by parents after a premature birth are frequently described as
trauma. However, they are commonly examined using concepts of stress. With
regard to methodology, diagnosis and intervention, it is necessary to
differentiate between reactions of stress and of trauma.
Methods: 65 mothers and 13 fathers answered retrospective
questionnaires. The questionnaires tested for a) control variables; b) the
quality of partnership as a potential factor of protection; c) dissociation in
the situation of the premature birth and medical problems of the baby
(gestational age, birth weight, length of stay in the intensive care unit, time
spent in the incubator, medical complications throughout hospitalisation, and
illness associated with the premature birth either during or after
hospitalisation); d) variables concerning the neonatal intensive care unit
(kangarooing, possibilities for parents to visit and take care of their child,
neonatal intensive care unit staff’s way of dealing with parents); and e)
the traumatic impact of the preterm birth at three stages -(one month,
one year, and more than two years after birth) using the Impact of Event
Scale.
Results: In premature births there is a traumatic impact on a
significant amount of parents, and especially on mothers (amount of mothers
with a significant trauma concerning the premature birth: in the first month
after birth 76.9 %, one year after birth 49.0 %,
more than two years after birth 17.2 %; amount of fathers with a
significant trauma concerning the premature birth: in the first month after
birth and one year after birth 23.1 %, more than two years after
birth: 12.5 %). The traumatic impact on mothers of premature
babies tends to be significantly higher than that on fathers at one month and
one year after birth. Two years or longer after birth there is no longer a
significant difference in impact. Statistically significant correlations exist
between the severity of the traumatic impact and the amount of a) dissociation
in the situation of the premature birth and b) the variables concerning the
medical problems of the child. No significantly negative relationship is
detected between the way in which the neonatal intensive care unit staff
interact with parents and trauma.
Conclusions: The results of this study show that it would be
beneficial to conduct early secondary prevention in the form of psychological
crisis intervention. Such intervention can reduce the risk of negative
long-term impacts on parents’ well-being. In addition, the results
indicate certain risk factors for more severe traumatic impacts, which should
be taken into account in interventions.
