Adriana Modesto Caxias, Marcia Helena Machado Nascimento, Juliana Conceição Dias Garcez, Danielle Melo Sardinha, Yuri Henrique Andrade de Oliveira, Clareana Costa Campelo, Andressa Tavares Parente, Josias da Costa Júnior
fifteen mothers of premature infants participated in the research. The following categories and subcategories emerged: 1) "Stimuli received by mothers of premature newborns", with the subcategories "Focal stimulus in prematurity settings", "Contextual stimulus in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit settings" and "Residual stimulus"; 2) "Behavioral responses", with the subcategories "Physiological", "Self-concept", "Role function", and "Interdependence".
OBJECTIVES: to analyze the adaptation process of mothers of premature newborns in the first stage of the Kangoroo Method in light of Callista Roy's theory.
METHODS: a qualitative study that used Callista Roy's Adaptation Model as a theoretical framework and content analysis according to Bardin. The research took place at a public maternity hospital in July 20254.
RESULTS: fifteen mothers of premature infants participated in the research. The following categories and subcategories emerged: 1) "Stimuli received by mothers of premature newborns", with the subcategories "Focal stimulus in prematurity settings", "Contextual stimulus in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit settings" and "Residual stimulus"; 2) "Behavioral responses", with the subcategories "Physiological", "Self-concept", "Role function", and "Interdependence".
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: participants demonstrated effective adaptation to the context of prematurity and hospitalization. However, ineffective behavioral responses are linked to a lack of care for these mothers, mainly from healthcare professionals.