Abstract:
Experiences of parents confronted with premature birth of their child can be regarded as psychological trauma evoking complex coping processes. The aim of the study was to describe these processes and to assess their underlying factors. The subjects were parents of 60 preterm children born between 1991 and 1999 in Warsaw and Mazovia region. Two patterns of coping of mothers during child's hospitalization were empirically discerned: coping through distance versus coping through commitment. The choice of a given coping pattern was associated with mother's attitude towards pregnancy and father's engagement.
