The purpose of this study was to contribute to family nursing for reducing stress and improving coping of the parents of mentally retarded children. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires during a period of 2 months between November 1994 and January 1995 in the Kyoung-in area. The subjects consist of 180 parents (90 mothers and 90 fathers) of mentally retarded children attending schools for the handicapped and 186 parents(93 mothers and 93 fathers) of normal children. The levels of general stress and of parental role stress were measured with the General stress scale and the Parental role stress scale, respectively, while the Coping scale was adopted to measure the level of coping. The data were analyzed by using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Repeated masured ANOVA, oneway ANOVA and Scheffe comparison test. The results were as follows; 1. The level of general stress was significantly higher in the mothers and the fathers of the mentally retarded than in the respective parents of the normal. Of the parents, the mothers experienced significantly greater level of general stress than the fathers did in both groups of the retarded and of the normal. 2. As for the parental role stress, the mothers and the fathers of the mentally retarded experienced significantly greater stress than respective parents of normal children did. In particular, the stress was significantly higher in the mothers than the fathers of these children in both groups. The difference in the levels of parental role stress experienced by mothers and by fathers was significantly bigger among those of the mentally retarded tnan among those of normal children. 3. No significant difference in the level of coping was observed between the mothers of both groups and the fathers of both groups. By contrast, the fathers revealed significantly greater scores in coping than the mothers in both groups. 4. General stress experienced by the fathers of the mentally retarded was different by health status, satisfaction with spouses, and the supports from their spouses. Health status, satisfaction with spouses, and monthly income influenced parental role stress experienced by those fathers. Their level of coping was associated with their satisfaction with spouses and family life. 5. Of the mothers of the mentally retarded, the level of general stress was different by their health status, while parental role stress was related to the satisfaction with their spouses and the child's age. The level of coping among the mothers was different by the supports from their spouses. The above findings indicate that those parents of the mentally retarded did not take more coping strategies than those of the normal did, despite greater stress experienced among themselves. Hence, nursing intervention for managing stress should be given to those parents including fathers of mentally retarded children. Mothers of the mentally retarded, in particular, should receive high priority in planning nursing care, since they experience greater levels of both general stress and parental role stress than their spouses, which is most likey due to primary responsibility in child rearing given to them at home.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of kangaroo care on body weight, physiological responses and behavioral states in premature infants. The subjects were 32 premature infants, fifteen for the kangaroo care group and seventeen for the control group, who hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit at a university-affiliated hospital. The kangaroo care was applied 8 times during the twenty five days with 40 minutes for each session. The kangaroo care provides the skin-to-skin contact during which a premature infant wearing a diaper and a hat is placed on its mother's chest. As for the measures, body weight was measured everyday. The levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and 17-OHCS were measured twice, before beginning the first intervention and after finishing the last intervention. While each session of the care is undergoing, such physiological responses were measured periodically as heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, core temperature and skin temperature. The results were as follows : 1. The weight gain was significantly greater in the kangaroo care group than that in the control group during the period of performing the kangaroo care. 2. No significant difference was revealed between the two groups in heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation and core temperature. The kangaroo care group also showed significant increases in the skin temperature. 3. The differences in the levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and 17-OHCS were not significant between the kangaroo care and the control groups. The level of norepinephrine in the two groups was significantly increased over time. 4. Sleep pattern changed significantly in the kangaroo group from a very restless sleep to a very quiet sleep. These results suggest that kangaroo care is an effective nursing intervention for premature infants in gaining weight, achieving stable physiological responses and facilitating a quiet sleep.

The purpose of this study was to contribute to neonatal nursing and maternal nursing to reduce parental role stress in mothers of preterm babies and to improve perception of the newborn to by the parents. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were consisted of a parental role stress scale and a neonatal perception inventory. The subjects were 100 mothers of fullterm babies and 50 mothers of preterm babies, all in the early postpartum stage and admitted to three hospitals I the Kyoung-In area between November 8 1997 and May 30, 1998. The data were analyzed by a SPSS program and the results are as follows : 1. There were no significantly differences in the means for parental role stress between mothers of fullterm babies and preterm babies. The mean for perception of the newborn was significantly lower in mothers of preterm babies than in mothers of fullterm babies. 2. In mothers of preterm babies, the level of parental role stress was correlated to the one minute Apgar score. The level of perception of the newborn was correlated to gestational age and birth weight. 3. The mothers of preterm babies whose education level was above graduation from college had lower parental role stress than those who had a lowers level of education. The mothers who had experienced cesarean section had higher parental role stress than those who gave birth to their baby prematurely. The above findings indicate that mothers of preterm babies had lower perception of the newborn than mothers of fullterm babies. Therefore, nursing intervention should be provided for mothers of preterm babies to manage parental role stress and improve perception of the newborn.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate maternal perception of the newborn, confidence and gratification of mothering role, and contribute to maternal nursing and neonatal nursing. The questionnaire, maternal perception of the newborn(I) was completed by 47 mothers at three hospitals in the Kyoung-In area during the first to third day after birth. the questionnaire, maternal perception of the newborn(II), confidence and gratification of mothering role were completed at fourth to sixth week after birth. the data were analyzed by a SPSS program. The results were as follows; 1) The means of perception of the newborn(I) and (II) were 2.28+/-4.81 and 3.83+/-4.84. The means of confidence and gratification of mothering role were 40.38+/-5.51 and 39.30+/-6.70. 2) Half of the mothers(48.9%) rated their newborn as better than average newborn at first to third day after birth, and 74.5% of mothers did at fourth to sixth week after birth. 3) The score of maternal perception of the newborn(I) was significantly correlated with the score of confidence and gratification of mothering role. The score of maternal perception of the newborn(II) was correlated with the score of confidence and gratification of mothering role. The score of confidence and gratification of mothering role was related. 4) Maternal gratification of mothering role was significantly different by maternal perception of the newborn(I), and maternal confidence was different by maternal perception of the newborn(II). 5) Mothers who had religions and who wanted the pregnancy had higher perception of the new-born(I) than those who did not. Mothers whose newborn(II) than those whose newborns were girls. Mothers who wanted the pregnancy had higher confidence of mothering role than those who did not. Mothers who planed cow's milk had lower gratification of mothering role than those who did not. The above findings indicate that mothers who have a different level of perception of the newborn, confidence and gratification of mothering role. Therefore, it is important maternal perception of the newborn, confidence and gratification of mothering role were precisely evaluated, and nursing intervention for improving perception of the newborn should be provided of for mothers.

The purpose of this study was to contribute to maternal nursing in early postpartum stage and to neonatal nursing. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were constructed to include parental role stress scale, state- trait anxiety scale, and perception of the newborn scale. The subjects consisted of 100 mothers in the early postpartum stage at three hospitals in the Kyoung-In area, from November 8 to December 26, 1997. The data were analyzed by an SPSS program. The results are follows: 1. The mean of parental role stress of mothers in the early postpartum stage was 10.70+/-2.63. The means of stage anxiety and trait anxiety of mothers were 36.29+/-8.45 and 38.53+/-8.36. The mean of perception of the newborn was 2.65+/-5.05, and 59% of mothers rated their newborn as better than the average newborn. 2. The level of parental role stress correlated to the level of state anxiety and trait anxiety. The level of state anxiety and trait anxiety were also related. The level of perception of the newborn was related to the level of state anxiety and trait anxiety. 3. Mothers who did not want the pregnancy, whose newborn were girls, and who already had one child had higher state anxiety than those who did not. Mothers who already had one child, and whose newborn had no specific signs had higher trait anxiety than those who did not. Mothers who professed a religions had a higher perception of the newborn than those who did not. The above findings indicate that the levels of parental role stress, state anxiety, trait anxiety and perception of the newborn of mothers in early postpartum stage were correlated. Therefore nursing intervention for reducing stress and anxiety, and improving perception of the newborn should be provided for mothers in early postpartum stage.