Predicting Factors of Maternal-Infant Attachment of the Mothers Whose Infants Hospitalized in Sick Newborn Unit

Abstract

Abstract
This descriptive research aimed to study capable factors of co-predicting attachment between mothers and infants treated at the sick newborn unit by
using Klaus and Kennell’s Theory of Attachment as a conceptual framework for the study. The subjects were composed of 96 postpartum mothers whose infants were treated in the sick newborn unit from birth and were recovering in the postpartum wards of Ramathibodi Hospital, Vajira Hospital, Charoenkrungpracharak Hospital, Taksin Hospital and Klang Hospital in April–May 2017. The subjects were purposively sampled based on inclusion criteria. The data collection instruments consisted of the demographic data questionnaire, the anxiety assessment form, the nursing support assessment form and the maternal-infant attachment assessment form. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics Pearson product moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis statistics. According to the findings, the capable factors of predicting maternal-infant attachment between mothers and infants who were treated at the sick newborn unit were nurses’ support and age. Nurses’ support and age were able to co-predict maternal-infant attachment at 19 percent with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Regarding recommendations from this study, nurses should assess mothers’ age and provide support to promote maternal-infant attachment between mothers and infants admitted to the sick newborn unit.