Factors Affecting Maternal Role Adaptation in Mothers of Preterm Infants Hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Becoming a mother in the neonatal intensive care unit is very different from becoming a mother of a full term infant in normal conditions. This study was conducted to explore factors affecting maternal role adaptation in mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Method: This study was a qualitative research. Participants were mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit of social security hospitals and hospitals affiliated to Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences located in Kermanshah City, Iran. Sampling method was purposive and data collection was through individual and semi-structured interviews. Data saturation was achieved after 17 interviews with mothers of preterm infants (under 36 weeks) who had history of hospitalization for at least one week in the NICU. Data was analyzed through conventional content analysis. In order to verify the trustworthiness of research data, credibility, transferability, conformability, and dependability were assessed. Results: Two main categories were explored in this study; individual factors which included three subcategories of emotional chaos, self-efficacy, and alienation; and social factors which included three subcategories of interaction, social support, and other’s judgment. Conclusion: By providing different kinds of supports, prevention of other’s judgment, and promote mothers' self-efficacy can empower mothers against problems and negative emotions and promote maternal role adaptation.