Maternal Stress and Efficacy for Latina Mothers with Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care

This study examined the levels of maternal stress and efficacy for Spanish- and English-speaking Latina mothers whose infants were in neonatal intensive care. Thirty-two Latina mothers participated in the study. Significant group differences were found between Spanish- and English-speaking Latina mothers. More stress was experienced by Spanish- than English-speaking Latina mothers in communicating with NICU staff, in general and learning about infant caregiving tasks, in particular. Maternal efficacy was not related to stress experienced by these mothers in the NICU. Implications for early interventions and future directions for research are discussed for Latina mothers and their newborn infants with special needs.