The effect of psychoeducation based on rational emotional behavior therapy given to mothers with premature babies in the newborn intensive care unit, on their distress tolerance and stress levels

Aim: The purpose of this research is to ascertain how mothers' stress levels and distress tolerance are affected by psychoeducation based on rational emotional behavioral therapy (REBT) for preterm babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Material and Method: This research is an experimental, randomized, controlled single-blind study. The sample was made up of 104 moms who had premature babies born before 37 weeks of gestation and were admitted between September 18, 2023, and January 30, 2024, to the neonatal intensive care unit of Ordu University Education and Research Hospital, which is connected to the Ministry of Health. The "Mother-Baby Information Form, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parent Stress Scale, and Distress Tolerance Scale (STTO)" were used to gather research data. The statistical software IBM SPSS 27 (IBM Corp., Released 2020) was utilized for the computations. Results In this study, it was determined that 32.7% of the mothers participating in the study were between the ages of 30-34 and 62.5% were not working. Before psychoeducation, neonatal intensive care parent stress scale images and sounds (intervention: 17.19±4.58 (2.86±0.76), control: 18.35±4.27 (3.05±0.71), p>0.05), appearance and behaviors (intervention: 45.46±13.86). (2.67±0.81), control:49.94±12.41 (2.93±0.73), p>0.05), Parental Role (intervention:30.37±6.87 (2.76±0.62). control:31.54±7.87 (2.86±0.71), p >0.05) sub-dimensions, total score (intervention: 93.02±24.20 (2.73±0.71), control: 99.83±22.28 (2.93±0.65), p>0.05) and STES sub-dimension regulation (intervention: 10.46±2.40. control: Homogeneity was also achieved in terms of (9.62±2.20, p>0.05). After psychoeducation, newborn parent stress scale images and sounds (intervention: 12.17±3.93 (2.02±0.65). control: 17.79±5.27 (2.96±0.87), p<0.001), appearance and behaviors (intervention: 32.77±12.81(intervention: 32.77±12.81). 1.92± 0.75), control:50.65±13.81 (2.97±0.81), p<0.001), Parental Role (intervention:19.63±5.72 (1.78 ± 0.52), control:31.27±8.85 (2.84 ± 0.80). p< 0.001), its sub-dimensions, the total score (intervention: 64.85±21.49 (1.89±0.63), control: 99.12± 27.23 (2.91±0.80), p<0.001) and the STES sub-dimension, regulation (intervention: 10.88± 1.73, control: It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of sub-dimensions (9.40±2.28, p<0.001). Conclusion: These results show that ASBT regional psychoeducation given to mothers with premature babies in the NICU is effective in reducing mothers' stress loss and deterioration, which is the sub-dimension of the distress tolerance folder. Keywords: Rational-emotional behavioral therapy, mother, consultation-liaison psychiatry, premature, stress, newborn