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Purpose: To explore the experiences of first-generation Chinese American parents while their infants are cared for in intensive care units (ICUs)., Design: Because the study focus was on understanding the experiences of parents, a phenomenological approach was used, with open-ended questions that encouraged participants to describe events they perceived to be important. The data analysis procedure suggested by van Manen was used for the qualitative data analysis., Participants/setting: A convenience sample of 25 first-generation Chinese American families, with infants hospitalized in the intensive care units of three teaching hospitals in the San Francisco area., Results: Seven themes were identified: perceived incompetence, self-blame, blame from others, filial piety, lack of support in the US, communication issues, and cultural differences., Conclusions: Both fathers and mothers experienced stress related to all identified themes. Findings suggest the need for more resources to educate and support families as well as culturally competent care within pediatric ICUs. Further study is critical to understand how the Chinese American's personal and family characteristics may influence stress perceptions when coping with their children's hospitalization., Clinical Relevance: This study can help healthcare providers to understand Chinese American parents' perceptions while their infants are hospitalized in the ICU, which can enhance cultural competence care services.

Purpose: To describe the stressful experiences of Chinese-American parents who have an infant in the intensive care unit (ICU), and to assess the influence of acculturation, parents' characteristics, and social supports on parental stress., Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study., Sample/setting: A convenience sample of 30 Chinese-American families (30 mothers, 25 fathers) who had an infant hospitalized in 3 ICU sites in the San Francisco area., Methodology: Measures included: (1) Infant's health data from the medical records and parents' demographic data, and (2) Parental Stressor Scale: Infant Hospitalization, Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale, and Family Support Scale., Main Outcome Measure: The dependent variable was mothers' and fathers' stress levels. Independent variables included personal/family characteristics, acculturation, uncertainty regarding infants' illness, and social supports., Principal Results: The ICU stressors were ranked by both mothers and fathers in the following order: infant's appearance, parental role alteration, staff communication and behaviors, and ICU environment. The combined effects of uncertainty about their infant's illness and its future impact, a strong belief in Asian family values, and lack of support from healthcare providers accounted for 26% and 55% of the variance in parental stress for mothers and fathers, respectively., Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest implications for the education of both families and the ICU staffs.