Investigation the relationship between cradling bias and depression, attachment and stress in mothers with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between cradling bias and depression, attachment, and stress in mothers with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Method: This descriptive and correlational research study was conducted in the NICU of a university hospital in Istanbul. The study sample consisted of 210 mothers who agreed to participate. The mothers were evaluated in two groups according to the side on which they cradled their babies: right and left. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Edinburgh Handedness Questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parental Stress Scale, and the Maternal Attachment Scale. The researcher determined which side the mothers cradled their babies on through observation. Data were analyzed using the SPSS package program. Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of personal, obstetric and neonatal characteristics. However, a significant relationship was found between hand dominance and cradling side. Right-handed mothers were more likely to cradle on the left, while left-handed mothers tended to cradle on the right. A negative correlation was found between mothers' stress levels and maternal attachment, and a strong and significant negative correlation was found between depression levels and attachment. While cradling bias alone had no significant effect on stress, depression, or attachment scores, significant differences emerged in analyses where hand dominance and cradling bias were evaluated together. Mothers who cradled in the same direction as their hand dominance had higher depression scores and lower attachment scores, while mothers who cradled in the opposite direction to their hand dominance had lower depression levels and higher attachment levels. Conclusion: The results provide evidence that cradling bias is not merely a physical or habitual behavior; it can be an important indicator reflecting the mother's emotional state, psychosocial well-being, and mother-infant interaction. Based on hand dominance, cradling bias was determined to be related to the mother's psychology and attachment style. These results suggest that cradling bias can be a meaningful observational tool for assessing the mother's emotional state and attachment process. Therefore, healthcare professionals are advised to observe mothers' cradling bias to obtain early clues about their depression, stress, and attachment levels and to adapt their care plans accordingly