Exploring Factors Affecting Parental Psychological Vulnerability During Their Child's PICU Admission: A Prospective Pilot Cohort Study

Abstract

Parental psychological responses during their child's pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission are often overlooked. This study aimed to identify pre-existing and peri-traumatic factors explaining parental stress and anxiety during their child's PICU admission and one-month follow-up. A prospective pilot study included 60 PICU parents. Parental Stressors Scale and State-trait Anxiety Inventory measured stress and anxiety during PICU admission, and the State-trait Anxiety Inventory and Perceived Stress Scale at a one-month follow-up. During PICU admission, parental stress correlated with age, race, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), anxiety was linked to income. At one-month follow-up, anxiety related to child's health worries, perceived stress was linked to parental ACEs and education. Parental ACEs predicted perceived stress (b=0.83, p=.028). Children's diagnoses explained anxiety, particularly respiratory and cardiac diagnoses (b=-13.44, p=.023; -10.03, p=.045). Identifying factors helps teams understand parental vulnerability and provide appropriate support.