Abstract

Background: Parents of NICU patients have high stress levels compared to other populations, which negatively impact their mental health. The kangaroo care (KC) method has been used for its numerous benefits for infants, but not as widely studied for its impacts on parental stress. The purpose of this integrative literature review is to examine and synthesize the existing evidence regarding kangaroo care and its impact on the stress levels of NICU parents.

Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and APA PsychInfo databases to identify relevant articles. Articles were included if they were published within the last five years (2018-2023), discussed parental subjective and/or objective measures of stress, and implemented a KC intervention in the NICU. A total of seven articles were analyzed and synthesized.

Results: Key findings in this review included how KC is implemented and its effects on subjective and objective stress. Findings from all seven articles demonstrate that KC is effective in decreasing cortisol, increasing oxytocin, and decreasing subjective parental stress. Discussion: KC as an intervention for stress reduction for NICU parents showed an overall positive effect on parental stress measures. It may be beneficial for NICU providers to encourage KC not only for the positive benefits on the infant, but for the positive effects it can have on parental stress. However, additional research is necessary in subsequent populations, geographical locations, and with different measures of stress to improve generalizability of the results.

Thesis Completion

2023

Semester

Fall

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Martinez, Valerie

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.)

College

College of Nursing

Department

Nursing

Degree Program

Nursing

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

12-15-2023

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