Poster #32 - Parents' Personal Growth following Preterm birth: The Role of Social Support

• In Event: Poster Session 19

Abstract

Giving birth is an event often of great happiness, yet it is also challenging on several levels for the mother, the father, and the family. Challenges are higher when a preterm is born. There are individual differences in the coping of couples. Range of coping can be between persistence of a traumatic state or experience of growth following this traumatic experience (Taubman-Ben-Ari & Spielman, 2014). While post traumatic growth of parents has been documented, the question is - what is the role of social support in this context. A significant resource associated with personal growth after preterm birth was grandmother social support (Noy, Taubman-Ben-Ari & Kuint, 2015). The present study compared degree of post trauma growth of preterm parents compared to full term birth parents. Also, the moderating role of social support in leading to personal growth and gender differences in the dependent variables
The hypotheses were that parents of preterm babies will show higher post traumatic growth than parents of full-term babies, and social support will be a mediating variable. Another hypothesis was that mothers from both groups would report higher personal growth and sense of support than fathers.
Results were - as predicted parents of premature infants reported higher personal growth and social support than parents of full-term infants. The mediation model was also significant, so that the relationship between the type of birth and growth was mediated by the perceived social support of the parent. Hypothesis about mother-father differences were not confirmed.
Sample- An internet sample of 260 mothers and fathers (145 full term-parents and 115 preterm parents) of babies 10 to 36 months old was collected. Preterm was defined as less than 34 weeks. Full term 37 weeks and up.
Measurements included Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory; Family and Social Support Scale. (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996; Dunst, Jenkins & Trivette, 1984 correspondingly) and a personal background questionnaire. Their validity is reported, and their reliability checked. While the higher growth was a replicated finding the mediating role of social support is novel. The inclusion of fathers, and the finding that they do not differ from mothers - are novel.
Limits -The sample was voluntary from internet. It is only Israeli sample. The method is self-report. As we see greater involvement of fathers in raising their own children, the inclusion of fathers, the finding that their reactions are similar to those of mothers is an important contribution,and has applied significance.

Authors

• Ruth Sharabany, University of Haifa Israel and Academic College of Tel Aviv Jaffa
  Presenting Author

• Keshet Gross, Acadenuc College of Tel Aviv Haifa