The Impact of Spiritual Care on Posttraumatic Growth Among Mothers of Preterm Neonates After NICU Discharge: A Clinical Trial in Iran

J Relig Health. 2026 Jul 5. doi: 10.1007/s10943-026-02710-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Hospitalization of preterm neonates in the NICU is an intensely stressful experience for mothers, yet it may also lead to positive psychological changes known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). This study evaluated the impact of spiritual care on PTG among mothers of preterm neonates after NICU discharge. A clinical trial was conducted with 60 mothers of neonates born between 28 and 32 weeks of gestational age. The intervention group received eight spiritual care sessions, each lasting 30-60 min. PTG was measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory by Tedeschi and Calhoun at three time points: before the intervention, immediately afterward, and one month post-discharge. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Prior to the intervention, mean PTG scores in the intervention and control groups were 68.20 and 67.93, respectively. While no significant difference was observed immediately after the intervention, the intervention group reported a significantly higher mean PTG score one month post-discharge compared to the control group (87.00 vs. 74.23, p = 0.001). These findings suggest that spiritual care effectively enhances PTG in mothers of preterm neonates. Nurses are encouraged to integrate spiritual care into their practice to support maternal psychological well-being.Trial Registration: This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (no. IRCT20210627051721N1) on 14/08/2021.

PMID:42402539 | DOI:10.1007/s10943-026-02710-6