Abstract

SILVA, Ruth de SousaSilva e; SANTOS, Joé Victor de Oliveira  and  ARAUJO, Ludgleydson Fernandes de. The meaning of the life of mothers with children in the neonatal ICU . Rev. NUFEN [online]. 2021, vol.13, n.1, pp.222-241. ISSN 2175-2591.

The present study aimed to verify and describe the meaning of life for mothers with children in the NICU. 12 mothers aged between 18 and 33 years participated (m = 24.16 and SD = 5.27) and their children's hospitalization time at the time of the research varied between 1 and 73 days (m = 15 days and SD = 19.62). The Free Word Association Test (TALP) was used, which were analyzed using the semantic network technique. The meaning of the life of mothers with children was verified in the neonatal intensive care context, showing that they respond favorably to the meaning that life presents them, even in an adverse environment. The technique used undid ambiguities in the emotional manifestations of mothers in relation to the current NICU concept, demystifying for this group that the unit does not represent finitude, but life.

Keywords : Mother; Meaning of Life; NICU.

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