ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Neonatology
Psychological Outcomes and Discharge Readiness of Parents of Preterm Infants in China After Family Integrated Care
Provisionally accepted
- Nantong First People’s Hospital, Nantong, China
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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Family Integrated Care (FICare) on the psychological outcomes and discharge readiness of parents of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: This prospective, non-randomized controlled study was conducted in the NICU of Nantong First People's Hospital (China). Parental psychological outcomes (trauma, depression, anxiety, and stress) were assessed using the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) at two timepoints: within two weeks postpartum and at three months after discharge. Discharge readiness was evaluated using validated maternal and paternal readiness scales. Infant clinical outcomes, including nutritional and respiratory milestones, were also recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 software, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 84 families with preterm infants born at 28–34 weeks of gestationthe age of 28–34 gestational weeks were enrolled and allocated into either the FICare group (n = 42) or the standard care group (n = 42). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups. FICare significantly improved discharge readiness in both mothers and fathers at NICU discharge (p < 0.001 for all subscales). Parental psychological outcomes in the FICare group showed significant improvements at three months after discharge, including reduced rates of clinically significant trauma (TSQ-positive: mothers 2.38% vs. 21.43%, fathers 4.76% vs. 26.19%; all p < 0.05), and PTSD (PCL-5-positive: mothers 2.38% vs. 23.81%, fathers 2.38% vs. 19.05%), along withand decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress (all p < 0.05). In terms of infant outcomes, the FICare group exhibited earlier initiation of enteral feeding (2.14 ± 0.95 vs. 3.45 ± 0.94 days, p < 0.001), quicker achievement of full enteral feeding (15.81 ± 4.62 vs. 20.45 ± 3.70 days, p < 0.001), and higher discharge weight (2202.07 ± 167.40 g vs. 1982.94 ± 176.31 g, p < 0.001), all without prolonging NICU stay or respiratory support. Conclusion: FICare significantly enhanced the psychological well-being and discharge preparedness of parents of preterm infants, while also promoting improved nutritional outcomes in neonates.
Keywords: Discharge readiness, Family integrated care, NICu, Parental Psychological Outcomes, premature infants
Received: 25 Jun 2025; Accepted: 21 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Zhu, Jiang, Hong, Song and Yang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xiaohong Yang
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