Parental stress and coping strategies during pediatric hospitalization: a descriptive study at the University Hospital of Salamanca

Background Child hospitalization generates significant psychological distress in parents, who may experience stress, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness. Nursing support can play a key role in facilitating coping and family adaptation. Objective To identify levels of stress and coping strategies used by parents during their child’s hospitalization in pediatric units at the University Hospital of Salamanca, and to analyze the influence of nursing interventions on this process. Methods A descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and May 2024. Data were collected through an ad hoc self-administered questionnaire including the Parental Stressor Scale: Infant Hospitalization (PSS:IH) and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Participants were parents of children under 14 years hospitalized ≥ 48 hours. Sociodemographic, clinical, stress, coping, and nursing support variables were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (SPSS v28). Results A total of 84 parents were included (62.7% women; mean age 36.1 years; mean number of children 1.65). The mean parental stress level was moderate (x̄=2.77). The most stressful items were: child on mechanical ventilation (75.6%), presence of tubes/catheters (73.6%), child in pain (72.6%), and alarms from monitors/equipment (71.8%). Mothers showed higher stress related to disruption of parental role (p = 0.05). The most frequent coping strategies were wishful thinking (x̄=22) and problem-solving (x̄=20.3). Nursing information and support were positively correlated with the use of problem-solving (rho = 0.779; p = 0.003) and social support (rho = 0.631; p = 0.005). Conclusions Parental stress during pediatric hospitalization is mainly associated with invasive procedures and medical devices. Nursing interventions focused on communication and emotional support foster adaptive coping strategies and facilitate family adjustment.