Effect of face-to-face and virtual empowerment methods on mothers of newborns in NICU: Participation and anxiety

Empowering mothers in the NICU by providing conditions and providing training helps mothers in the skills of caring for the newborn, and also helps to reduce their anxiety. In this semi-experimental research, 82 mothers with babies hospitalized in the NICU of Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital in Ilam City were selected using available sampling and by random block methods and were placed in the two face-to-face and virtual training groups. Data were collected through the demographic questionnaire of mothers and babies, the Melnik mothers’ participation checklist, and the Spielberger anxiety questionnaire, and was analyzed using SPSS version 24 software and chi-square, independent t, paired t, Kruskal-Wallis tests and analysis of covariance. After the intervention, the average participation of mothers in both groups (face-to-face: (2.9) 22.41 and virtual: (3.7) 18.9) increased significantly (p 0.001). Also, the average score Trait and situational anxiety in both face-to-face and virtual training groups decreased after the training compared to before (p 0.001). However, for both variables of participation and anxiety, the mean difference was found between the two groups (p 0.001). The empowerment program is more effective on the participation of mothers in taking care of their babies and reducing anxiety in a face-to-face method than a virtual one. Therefore, it is appropriate that the necessary platform for the implementation of this program should be considered by managers and health professionals.