The Effect of Orem-Based Supportive-Educational Intervention on the Psychological Well-Being of Mothers with Preterm Infants Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Background The birth of a preterm infant and its hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can impose considerable anxiety and psychological distress on parents, especially mothers. Maternal self-care is a key factor in managing and improving their psychological well-being. This study aimed to assess the effect of an Orem’s self-care model on the psychological well-being of mothers with preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU. Methods In this interventional study, 50 eligible mothers whose preterm infants were admitted to the NICU were recruited via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Before and one month after the intervention, participants in both groups completed Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. The intervention group received four individual supportive-educational sessions based on the Orem’s self-care model. Results The mean psychological well-being score in the intervention group increased from 54.72 before the intervention to 85.88 after the intervention, whereas in the control group it changed from 58.28 to 59.16. An independent t‑test revealed no significant difference between the two groups at baseline (p = 0.492), but a significant difference was observed post‑intervention (p = 0.001). Conclusion This study demonstrated that a supportive-educational intervention based on the Orem’s self-care model can significantly enhance the psychological well-being of mothers with hospitalized preterm infants in the NICU. Therefore, implementing such interventions is recommended to promote maternal mental health in this context. Trial Registration This study was registered at Iranian Registry of clinical Trials (IRCT) with registration number IRCT2024050706170N1 on 07 May 2024.