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OPPORTUNITIES OF RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY IN WORKING WITH MOTHERS OF NEWBORNS WITH INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE AND HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURY

Y. Milanich

Abstract

The birth of a child with a pathology is experienced by a parent as a stressful situation, which defines the need for psychotherapeutic assistance. It should be provided at the neonatal pathology department where a child stays during the period of acute condition, and parents get informed of the causes of the pathology, severity of condition and possible consequences. The article presents data on examining the effectiveness of rational emotive behavior therapy techniques in working with mothers of newborns with severe and moderate hypoxic-ischemic injury, intraventricular hemorrhage (grades 1, 2) undergoing treatment at the Neonatal Pathology Department of St. Petersburg District Children's Clinical Hospital. Methods: 39 women took part in the research. Psychotherapy was aimed at reducing symptoms of psychological disorders in mothers. Techniques used: creating awareness, verbal detection of problems, challenging irrational views, active listening, a psychologist's self-realization, distinguishing between the degrees of emotional suffering, rational-emotional imagination, parenting skills training. Program efficiency was evaluated by comparing indicators of questionnaires "Well-being, Activity, Mood", "State Anxiety Inventory", "Beck Depression Inventory" and "Color Attitude Test" before and after the intervention. Results: Indicators of psychological well-being in the groups of the positive-passive and negative-passive adaptation types have shown a positive trend. No change was revealed among the women of the negative-active adaptation type. Conclusion: Rational emotive behavior therapy for mothers of newborns with pathology of the central nervous system is effective in the positive-passive and negative-passive adaptation types. It is suggested that this approach of psychotherapy is ineffective for the mothers of the negative-active type or there is the need for longer intervention.

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