Relationship Between Maternal Fear and Anxiety About Covid-19 and Maternal Role Attainment in Mothers of Preterm Neonates

Background: Mothers of preterm neonates are more sensitive to their baby's health than other mothers, and this causes them worry and anxiety. Meanwhile, the possibility of facing Covid-19 may increase their worries and anxiety and leave negative effects on their role as mothers. This study aims to determine the relationship between maternal fear and anxiety about Covid-19 and maternal role attainment in Iranian mothers with preterm neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted from June to July 2021 in three, level III NICUs in Tehran, Iran. The study sample was 211 mothers of preterm neonates who were recruited by convenience sampling. The data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the Maternal Role Adaptation Scale in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (MRAS: NICU), and analyzed utilizing independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS 23. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean scores of anxiety, fear, and maternal role attainment were,11.44 ± 3.19, 26.49 ± 5.92 and 57.61 ± 11.95, respectively. There was a weak, positive and significant relationship between anxiety and fear (r=0.385, p<0.001), anxiety and maternal role attainment (r=0.213, p=0.002), and some of its dimensions including: participation in care, distant mothering, interaction and growth and development (p<0.05). There was also a weak, positive and significant relationship between fear and maternal role attainment (r=0.204, p=0.003) and some of its dimensions including: participation in care and growth and development (p<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the relationship between the fear and anxiety of Covid-19 with maternal role attainment and the special importance of this issue in NICUs, it is recommended to evaluate the mental health of mothers with preterm neonates and implement effective psychological interventions to support them.