Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit [PSSPICU-30]

Description

The Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PSSPICU-30) is an instrument developed to assess the level of stress experienced by parents when their child is hospitalized in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

The scale focuses on different sources of parental stress that may arise during a child’s hospitalization, including the severity of the child’s condition, uncertainty regarding treatment outcomes, the intensive care environment, and interactions with medical staff.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PSSPICU-30 is to provide a structured assessment of the stress experienced by parents during their child’s admission to a pediatric intensive care unit.

The instrument is intended to help researchers, psychologists, and healthcare professionals better understand the specific challenges and emotional burden experienced by parents in these difficult circumstances.

Structure

The PSSPICU consists of 30 items assessing the intensity of stress associated with different experiences and situations that parents may encounter while their child is receiving intensive care.

Its structure allows the systematic recording of parents’ subjective stress responses and the comparison of stress levels across different situations.

Scoring

The 30 items are rated as follows:

0 = I have not experienced this
1 = Not stressful
2 = Minimally stressful
3 = Moderately stressful
4 = Very stressful
5 = Extremely stressful

Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived parental stress in relation to the experiences being assessed.

Data Analysis and Use

PSSPICU-30 data may be used to assess the overall burden experienced by parents and to identify specific situations that are perceived as particularly stressful.

Analysis of responses may support comparisons between individual parents or groups of parents and may help identify areas in which additional support is needed.

Applications

The PSSPICU-30 may be used in clinical and research settings involving pediatric intensive care, particularly in studies focusing on parental stress and family experiences during a child’s hospitalization.

It may also support psychosocial care programs, needs assessment, and research examining relationships between parental stress and other psychological or family-related variables.

Importance of the Instrument

Hospitalization of a child in a pediatric intensive care unit may represent a highly stressful experience for families. Systematic assessment of parental stress can help healthcare professionals better understand parents’ experiences and identify situations associated with increased emotional burden.

The PSSPICU-30 provides a structured framework for documenting these experiences across 30 distinct items.

References

Carter, M. C., & Miles, M. S. (1982). Parental stressor scale: Pediatric ICU. Nursing Research, 31, 121.

Carter, M. C., & Miles, M. S. (1983). Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Carter, M. C., & Miles, M. S. (1989). The Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Maternal Child Nursing Journal, 18(3), 187–198.

Huckabay, L. M., & Tilem-Kessler, D. (1999). Patterns of parental stress in PICU emergency admission. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 18(2), 36–42.

Saied, H. (2006). Stress, Coping, Social Support and Adjustment among Families of CHD Children in PICU after Heart Surgery. Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University.