Perinatal bereavement care skills, training needs, and workplace support in an Italian descriptive study
7 affiliations
- 1Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Salerno Medical School”, University of Salerno
- 2Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona
- 3Maternal and Child Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Salerno
- 4Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome
- 5Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome
- 6Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”
- 7Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR)
Abstract
Introduction: Perinatal bereavement is a complex clinical and emotional experience that affects not only parents but also healthcare professionals working in maternal and child healthcare. Despite growing international attention to bereavement care, many healthcare professionals report inadequate preparation, limited organizational support, and insufficient confidence in caring for families following a perinatal death.
Objective: To describe self-reported bereavement-care skills, attitudes toward training, awareness of learning needs, and workplace support among healthcare professionals and near-graduation students.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Italy between January and April 2026 among healthcare professionals and near-graduation students in maternal and child healthcare. The sample comprised 126 participants. Participants completed an Italian adaptation of the Perinatal Bereavement Care Confidence Scale (PBCCS). Descriptive statistics, internal consistency analysis, and non-parametric inferential tests were performed. Open-ended responses were examined using exploratory thematic content analysis with T-LAB Plus.
Results: The descriptive mean of the 44 adapted questionnaire items was 2.23 (SD = 0.263; possible range 1–3; α = 0.86). Block means were 2.51 for knowledge, 2.22 for skills, 2.55 for self-awareness, and 1.68 for organizational support. These summaries do not constitute validated measures of overall professional confidence. Exploratory omnibus comparisons were significant across professional groups (p = 0.009); the years-of-service comparison was not statistically significant (p = 0.210). The principal reported needs concerned organizational support, training, and emotional coping.
Conclusion: The item and block descriptions highlight needs for structured training, reflective and emotional support, and multidisciplinary protocols. The 44-item mean is a descriptive summary of heterogeneous questionnaire content, not a validated measure of overall professional confidence. The cross-sectional study does not establish effects on confidence, quality of care, or staff well-being.
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BibTeX
@article{savarese2026perinatal,
title = {{Perinatal bereavement care skills, training needs, and workplace support in an Italian descriptive study}},
author = {Giulia Savarese and Mariantonietta Milite and Annamaria Sorrentino and Rosa Oro and Marianna Batelli and Giuseppe De Masellis and Marisa Patrizia Messina and Mauro Ceccanti and Valentina Remondelli and Marco Fiore and Luna Carpinelli},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1998621},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1998621/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Perinatal bereavement care skills, training needs, and workplace support in an Italian descriptive study
AU - Giulia Savarese
AU - Mariantonietta Milite
AU - Annamaria Sorrentino
AU - Rosa Oro
AU - Marianna Batelli
AU - Giuseppe De Masellis
AU - Marisa Patrizia Messina
AU - Mauro Ceccanti
AU - Valentina Remondelli
AU - Marco Fiore
AU - Luna Carpinelli
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry
DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1998621
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1998621/full
AB - Introduction: Perinatal bereavement is a complex clinical and emotional experience that affects not only parents but also healthcare professionals working in maternal and child healthcare. Despite growing international attention to bereavement care, many healthcare professionals report inadequate preparation, limited organizational support, and insufficient confidence in caring for families following a perinatal death. Objective: To describe self-reported bereavement-care skills, attitudes toward training, awareness of learning needs, and workplace support among healthcare professionals and near-graduation students. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Italy between January and April 2026 among healthcare professionals and near-graduation students in maternal and child healthcare. The sample comprised 126 participants. Participants completed an Italian adaptation of the Perinatal Bereavement Care Confidence Scale (PBCCS). Descriptive statistics, internal consistency analysis, and non-parametric inferential tests were performed. Open-ended responses were examined using exploratory thematic content analysis with T-LAB Plus. Results: The descriptive mean of the 44 adapted questionnaire items was 2.23 (SD = 0.263; possible range 1–3; α = 0.86). Block means were 2.51 for knowledge, 2.22 for skills, 2.55 for self-awareness, and 1.68 for organizational support. These summaries do not constitute validated measures of overall professional confidence. Exploratory omnibus comparisons were significant across professional groups (p = 0.009); the years-of-service comparison was not statistically significant (p = 0.210). The principal reported needs concerned organizational support, training, and emotional coping. Conclusion: The item and block descriptions highlight needs for structured training, reflective and emotional support, and multidisciplinary protocols. The 44-item mean is a descriptive summary of heterogeneous questionnaire content, not a validated measure of overall professional confidence. The cross-sectional study does not establish effects on confidence, quality of care, or staff well-being.
SN - 1664-0640
ER -