This study is designed to evaluate the emotional experiences of fathers who have preterm infants who are hospitalized in a (neonatal intensive care unit)NICU setting. In addition, we will compare the emotional responses experienced by father of surgical NICU babies and fathers of medical NICU babies. Our primary hypothesis is that paternal stress levels will be lower for those fathers of infants who are hospitalized in a medical NICU compared with fathers of infants who are hospitalized in a surgical NICU. Secondary hypotheses include: 1) Stress levels for fathers of hospitalized infants will decrease over time; 2) Depressive symptomatology modulates perceived stress in fathers of NICU infants.
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Perceived paternal stress levels will be lower for those fathers of infants who are hospitalized in a medical NICU compared with fathers of infants who are hospitalized in a surgical NICU.
Timeframe: First 5 weeks of infant's life and / or hospitalization