Abstract

PRATA, Isabel  and  PADOVANI, Flávia. Maternal coping strategies of chronic ill children hospitalized. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2023, vol.24, n.1, pp.28-40.  Epub Apr 30, 2023. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/23psd240103.

Stressful situations are demands, internal or external, perceived by an individual as overloading or exceeding his/her social and personal resources. Among the stressful situations known in the literature and with considerable impact, chronic illness child hospitalized stands out. Considering the potentially stressful scenario of chronic illness child hospitalized and considering mother as the main caregiver, this study aims to verify maternal coping of chronic illness child hospitalized. The sample included 37 mothers of chronic disease children hospitalized at a Medical School Hospital. Only mothers above 18 years old who had agreed to participate by written inform consent were included. A minimum time of 48 hours of hospitalization due to chronic diseases was required. Data were obtained from the medical records and by application of a semi-structured interview script exclusively for this study. Results indicated that mothers presented coping strategies considered adaptive, evaluating the child's illness and hospitalization situation as a challenge to their basic needs. Mothers reported the coping strategies “search for support” and “self-confidence”, associated to the basic psychological need of relationship and accommodation, associated to basic psychological need of autonomy. The study demonstrates how important is the comprehensive care for family members and for hospitalized patients, as well as it offers indicators to structure prevention strategies.

Keywords : Coping; Mothers; Chronic disease; Hospitalization.

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