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Peer support groups for families in Neonatology: Why and how to get started?
Author(s) -
Dahan Sonia,
Bourque Claude Julie,
Reichherzer Martin,
Prince Josée,
Mantha Ginette,
Savaria Melissa,
Janvier Annie
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.15312
Subject(s) - medicine , peer support , attendance , checklist , neonatal intensive care unit , moderation , resource (disambiguation) , coping (psychology) , developmental psychology , psychology , nursing , clinical psychology , pediatrics , social psychology , computer network , computer science , economics , cognitive psychology , economic growth
Aim To describe the development of peer‐to‐peer support meetings between parents of children in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and veteran resource parents who had a previous NICU experience. Methods The study had two steps: a needs assessment and a feasibility pilot study. Parental perspectives were investigated using mixed methods. Results One hundred and fifty‐three parents were participated. NICU parents (89%) wished to meet resource parents to discuss: their parental role, normalising their experience and emotions, adapting to their new reality, control, guilt, trust and coping. Practical aspects of the meetings were tested/finalised. Resource parent moderators reported that the presence of more than one moderator per meeting was essential. A checklist of topics to discuss was developed. Having a diversity of moderators (fathers, diagnoses other than prematurity, for example) was judged important. The name of the meeting had an impact on attendance: there were less participants when the word “support” was used. The best location (central, parents' kitchen) and optimal time/duration of meetings, selection of parent moderators and compensation were also determined. Conclusion Peer support meetings moderated by resource parents provide a unique and useful means to support NICU parents. Future investigations will explore whether these meetings will improve clinical outcomes.