Purpose
This study investigated the parenting experiences of mothers of young children born moderate-to-late preterm (MLPT) in South Korea.
Methods
In this qualitative study, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of MLPT children from infancy to preschool age. The interviews were video-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results
Four categories resulted from the analysis of parenting experiences of mothers with young MLPT children, as follows: "becoming a mother of an early-born child", "difficulties as the primary caregiver for a high-risk child", "helpful social support, but still a lack of professional support for parenting a high-risk child", and "mothers and children growing together".
Conclusion
Mothers of young MLPT children experienced difficulties due to concerns about their child's health, growth and development, and insufficient child-rearing support. Therefore, social support systems should be strengthened and more aggressive nursing strategies should be adopted for mothers of young MLPT children.

Citations

• Impact of the child's birth weight on maternal misperceptions of young children's weight: A retrospective study with nationally representative data
  Sangmi Lee
  Japan Journal of Nursing Science.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Impact of moderate-to-late preterm birth on neurodevelopmental outcomes in young children: Results from retrospective longitudinal follow-up with nationally representative data
  Sangmi Lee, Yuri Han, Min Kyung Lim, Hun Jae Lee, Shaonong Dang
  PLOS ONE.2023; 18(11): e0294435.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study was conducted to evaluate cognitive ability in preschoolers born prematurely and to investigate related factors.
Methods
A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted with 64 children at 5-6 years of corrected age (CA) (second follow-up) among 76 children who had been assessed at 2.0~3.5 years of CA (first follow-up) from a sample of 343 preterm infants born from 2008 to 2010. To evaluate each child’s cognitive ability, during a home visit, we used the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-II (KABC-II) at the second follow-up. To explore factors related to cognitive ability, we measured children’s hemoglobin level at the second follow-up and used the data collected in our previous study, including the Bayley Scale of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) at the first follow-up.
Results
The mean total KABC-II quotient was 117.0±14.4. The 5-minute Apgar score (β=.29, p=.006), hemoglobin level (β=.22, p=.032), and the mental development index quotient of the BSID-II (β=.51, p<.001) were statistically significant predictors of the KABC-II quotient in multiple linear regression analysis.
Conclusion
The cognitive function of young children born prematurely was influenced by early neurodevelopment and factors reflecting their health status, such as anemia and a low 5-minute Apgar score.

Citations

• 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
  Eun Sun Ji, Jinhee Choi, Kaka Shim
  Journal of The Korean Society of Maternal and Chil.2023; 27(4): 256.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study was conducted to measure adiposity and to investigate related factors in preschoolers born prematurely.
Methods
A longitudinal follow-up study was conducted with 52 preschoolers at 5 years of corrected age among 343 preterm infants. Their adiposity status was evaluated based on measurements of body mass index, subscapular and triceps skin fold thickness (SFT), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and mid-arm circumference at a home visit.
Results
The findings showed that SFT measurements, particularly at the triceps, reflected the degree of adiposity more accurately than other conventional measures. A shorter gestation, older maternal age, and the mother having more years of formal education were associated with higher levels of adiposity in the preschoolers.
Conclusion
The adiposity of children born prematurely needs to be thoroughly monitored with additional SFT measurements, considering the risk of accelerated growth patterns overriding regular catch-up growth in children born prematurely.

Purpose
To investigate factors that may affect the method of feeding among preterm infants at 4 weeks after discharge.
Methods
This study included 222 mother-infant dyads born before a gestational age of 37 weeks. The feeding method and general medical characteristics of the participants were assessed at 4 weeks after discharge using a structured questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine which factors were associated with breastfeeding at home.
Results
Of the 222 infants who qualified for the study, 71 (32.9%) continued to receive breastmilk at 4 weeks post-discharge. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that breastfeeding at 4 weeks post-discharge was associated with higher breastfeeding self-efficacy, vaginal delivery (experience), direct breastfeeding in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), gestational age between 30 and 34 weeks, and breastmilk consumption in the NICU. The following factors were associated with mixed feeding at 4 weeks post-discharge: being employed, having higher breastfeeding self-efficacy, and direct breastfeeding in the NICU.
Conclusion
NICU nurses should provide opportunities for direct breastfeeding during hospitalization and support breastfeeding to enhance breastfeeding self-efficacy. These factors may help to ensure the continuation of breastfeeding after discharge. Moreover, factors that affect breastfeeding should be considered when providing interventions.

Citations

• Identifying Latent Topics and Trends in Premature Infant–Related Nursing Studies Using a Latent Dirichlet Allocation Method
  Myeong Seon Lee, Seonah Lee
  CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing.2023; 41(12): 957.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study was conducted to describe parenting stress in mothers of preschoolers who were born prematurely and to determine factors affecting parenting stress in child’s problem behavior, mother-child interaction and parenting alliance.
Methods
An exploratory survey study was conducted with 66 mothers of preschool children (5~6 years) with preterm births (PTB). Data were collected using Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Mother-Preschool Child Interaction Scale (MPIS), and Parenting Alliance Inventory (PAI).
Results
Of the 66 mothers, 8(12.1%) showed high scores that were more than borderline for the PSI total score. In the multiple linear regression analysis, lower scores on the PAI (β=-.41, p<.001), higher scores on the externalizing problem behavior of the CBCL (β=.40, p=.001), and lower scores on the MPIS (β=-.21, p=.043) were statistically significant contributors to maternal parenting stress.
Conclusion
Findings indicate that mothers of PTB preschool children are at risk for parenting stress. Child’s externalizing problem behavior, poor maternal- child interaction and parenting alliance were independent factors raising maternal parenting stress. More attention is needed on paternal parenting support, child’s behavioral development, interaction with children for effective prevention and management of maternal parenting stress of PTB young children.

Citations

• Spousal support, parent–nurse partnership and caregiver burden among parents of children with chronic diseases: A cross‐sectional study
  Jihye Kim, Heemin Chae, Yoonjung Kim
  Journal of Clinical Nursing.2024; 33(7): 2649.     CrossRef
• Structural Equation Modeling of the Interaction between Mothers and Preschool-Age Children
  Hyun-Yi Chai, Mi-Young Choi
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2021; 51(5): 630.     CrossRef
• Parenting Stress in Preterm and Full-term Infant Mothers by Their Children’s Developmental Stages
  Kieun Kim, Hyejung Lee
  Journal of The Korean Society of Maternal and Chil.2020; 24(3): 162.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study was conducted to describe health in optimal fitness (HOF) in young children born prematurely and to analyze factors affecting HOF in health status, investment resources, and anthropological values, based on HOF theory.
Methods
A case-control study of 76 children with preterm births (PTB) was conducted at 24 to 42 months of corrected age. Their HOF status was evaluated based on height, weight, head circumference, and the Korean-Bayley Scale of Infant Development-II and classified as either HOF-achieved or HOF-uncertain in the domain of growth, development, and all together.
Results
For growth, development, and all, 26.3%, 27.6%, and 47.4% of children, respectively, belonged to the HOF-uncertain group. Logistic regression analysis showed that longer length of hospital stay (≥21 days; OR=7.8; 95% CI [1.5, 40.5]), worse scores on the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) (≥38; OR=0.1; 95% CI [0.0, 0.4]), having a working mother, (OR=5.7; 95% CI [1.2, 27.6]), and an older mother (≥35 years; OR=8.8; 95% CI [2.1, 37.3]) were statistically significant contributors of HOF-uncertain in the domain of all.
Conclusion
Findings show that young children born prematurely with prolonged stays in a neonatal intensive care unit and insufficient socioeconomic resources at home are more likely to exhibit delayed growth and development.

Citations

• Cognitive Ability and Related Factors in Preschoolers Born Prematurely
  Young Mee Ahn, Sangmi Lee
  Child Health Nursing Research.2019; 25(4): 468.     CrossRef