University of Haifa, Department of Nursing, 199 Abba Hushi Ave., 3498838,Haifa, Israel.
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 418 Curie Blvd, Claire M. Fagin Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Cardiol Young. 2023 Aug;33(8):1316-1321. doi: 10.1017/S1047951122001895. Epub 2022 Jun 22.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Parents of infants with complex CHDs often describe their infants as especially fussy, irritable, and difficult to sooth, which together with the illness caretaking demands add to their stress. Little is known about how the behavioural style or temperament in the early months after discharge relates to parental quality of life. This study aimed to explore the associations between early infant temperament characteristics and parental quality of life in parents of infants with complex CHD.
This descriptive, cross-sectional study, utilised data collected in a previously described multisite randomised clinical trial in the United States. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations of interest.
Results demonstrated negative significant associations between most infant temperament subscales and parental quality of life. Higher scores on the Activity (β = -3.03, p = 0.021), Approach (β = -1.05, p = 0.021), Adaptability (β = -3.47, p = 0.004), Intensity (β = -2.78, p = 0.008), Mood (β = -4.65, p < 0.001), and Distractibility (β = -3.36, p = 0.007 were all significantly associated with lower parental quality of life scores, adjusting for parental dyadic adjustment, insurance type, number of medications, and number of unscheduled cardiologist visits.
Parental perceptions of infant's difficult behavioural style or temperament characteristics appear to be associated with poorer quality of life in parents of infants with complex CHD post-cardiac surgery. Findings can be used in the screening process of families at potential risk of increased stress and poor illness adaptation and in the design of interventions to target parental mental health in this vulnerable patient population.
患有复杂先天性心脏病（CHD）婴儿的父母常描述他们的婴儿特别烦躁、易怒且难以安抚，这与疾病护理需求一起增加了他们的压力。关于出院后早期婴儿行为风格或气质与父母生活质量之间的关系，知之甚少。本研究旨在探讨婴儿复杂 CHD 父母的早期婴儿气质特征与父母生活质量之间的关联。
这是一项描述性、横断面研究，利用了先前在美国描述的多中心随机临床试验中收集的数据。多变量线性回归模型用于检验感兴趣的关联。
研究结果表明，大多数婴儿气质子量表与父母生活质量之间存在负显著关联。活动（β=-3.03，p=0.021）、接近（β=-1.05，p=0.021）、适应性（β=-3.47，p=0.004）、强度（β=-2.78，p=0.008）、情绪（β=-4.65，p<0.001）和分心（β=-3.36，p=0.007）的评分越高，父母生活质量评分越低，调整了父母对偶调整、保险类型、用药数量和计划外心脏病专家就诊数量的影响。
父母对婴儿困难行为风格或气质特征的感知似乎与复杂 CHD 婴儿心脏手术后父母生活质量较差有关。研究结果可用于对处于潜在压力增加和疾病适应不良风险的家庭进行筛查，并设计针对这一脆弱患者群体的父母心理健康干预措施。
