Effects of an emotional regulation program on maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation, stress, anxiety, and postpartum depression among South Korean mothers of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)-based emotional regulation program for mothers of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: The study utilized a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Seventeen mothers were recruited for the experimental group and 21 mothers for the control group. Data were collected from July 9, 2018, to Oct 12, 2018 from mothers of premature infants in the NICU regarding parental stress, state anxiety, depression, and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation. The experimental group received eight sessions of the REBT-based emotional regulation program for 3-4 weeks, and the control group only received standard nursing care. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the two groups in maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation (Z=−3.88, p<.001), stress (Z=−2.76, p=.006), state anxiety (Z=−3.72, p<.001), and postpartum depression(Z=−2.62, p=.009) after the intervention in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The REBT-based emotional regulation program for mothers of premature infants was effective for reducing maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation, stress, anxiety, and postpartum depression. Therefore, it may be necessary to provide an REBT-based emotional regulation program for mothers of premature infants in the NICU in clinical practice.