Premature infants compared to natural ones experience several problems, so it is inevitable to hospitalize them in Neonate' Intensive Care Unit (NICU). After, hospitalizing the infants, mothers suffer a high degree of stress. On one hand, inefficient coping leads to a disordered infant-mother attachment. Therefore, supportive programs are needed to support these mothers during the period of hospitalization. This study was implemented in form of a randomized experimental design over 70 mothers with premature infants in Ommolbanin hospital, Mashhad, Iran. In order to avoid exchanging information between the two groups, first, control group was randomly assigned. Having selected the sample, sample selection was stopped for three weeks till mothers participating in the study were discharged from the hospital. Then participants for experimental group were selected.
Criteria for enrollment in the study: Age over 18 years, the ability to read and write, babies who were less than 37 weeks of gestational age, or weighed less than 2500 grams. Criteria for discharging: Infant discharging before the program completion, mothers' dissatisfaction to continue.
Treatment included four stages:
Stage 1: 2 to 4 days after infant hospitalization Stage2: 2 to 4 days after the first stage
Stage3: 1 to 3 days before discharging Stage 4: 1 week after discharging
In every stage, in the absence of the researcher, the mother listened to an audio file containing information regarding that stage, for 15 minutes. At the same time this information was provided for the mother in the form of a booklet to use during the time of listening. Also, there was a workbook related to that stage at the end of every booklet and mother was required to complete. The completed version was provided for the research.