Research Protocol for Sleep in Families With a Preterm Infant

Abstract

Background Specificities regarding the quality and quantity of sleep of preterm infants and their parents following discharge of the preterm infant from the hospital are not well known. Given this lack of knowledge, the links between the sleep characteristics of these parents, family functioning, and their psychological well-being are also unclear. Objectives The purpose of this article is to summarize the research protocol of a cross-sectional, mixed-methods, convergent design study, which aims to evaluate the sleep patterns of preterm infants and both their parents and document the associations between sleep quality, parents’ psychological well-being, and family functioning during the posthospitalization period. Methods A convenience sample is used to recruit 30 families. For quantitative data collection, a questionnaire booklet consisting of validated questionnaires is used to measure sleep quality of each family member, parental psychological well-being, and family functioning completed by each parent. An actigraph and a sleep diary measure sleep quantity of each parent and the preterm infant. Afterward, semistructured interviews are carried out with each parent to explore their perceptions and needs concerning their infant’s and their own sleep quality. For data analysis, qualitative and quantitative data are analyzed separately and then merged to allow for an integrative interpretation of the results. Results The research project is ongoing; 25 of 30 families have completed the data collection. Data analysis is underway. Discussion This research will provide a global portrait of the families’ sleep 1 month after the preterm infant is discharged from the hospital, which is not well known to date. The results will help healthcare providers involved with preterm infants and their families after discharge from the hospital to increase their comprehension of the families’ reality and adapt their interventions to meet these needs.