Evidence mapPaperPMID 42577409Full record

ArticleFrontiers in pediatrics2026

Development and psychometric validation of the NICU parental agency scale: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Li Chen, Lili Li, Wenying Zhu, Jie Zhang, Zhen Wang, Yingwen Zhu, Yuan Gu, Shenzhen Zhang, Xin Ding, Yun Yu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Li ChenDepartment of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Lili LiNeonatology Department, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China.
Wenying ZhuNeonatology Department, The First People's Hospital of Kunshan, Kunshan, China.
Jie ZhangNeonatology Department, The Ninth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Zhen WangNeonatology Department, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, China.
Yingwen ZhuNeonatology Department, Changshu NO.1 People's Hospital, Changshu, China.
Yuan GuDepartment of Pediatrics, The First People's Hospital of Taicang City, Taichang, China.
Shenzhen ZhangNeonatology Department, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China.
Xin DingDepartment of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Yun YuDepartment of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) places families in complex medical environments where parental agency, the perceived capacity to understand treatment, communicate effectively, participate in decisions, and maintain emotional well-being, is crucial for family-centered care. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the NICU Parental Agency Scale (NICU-PAS), a brief instrument measuring this multidimensional construct. Methods: The 15-item NICU-PAS was developed through literature review, expert panel evaluation, and parent focus groups. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted across eight NICUs in Suzhou, China, recruiting 350 primary caregivers. Psychometric validation included exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability, and assessment of convergent validity (with parental stress) and discriminant validity (with general health and coping). Subgroup analyses compared first-time and experienced parents. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-domain structure of Treatment Understanding, Communication, Decision Making Participation, and Emotional Well-being (χ Conclusions: The NICU-PAS demonstrates robust psychometric properties and provides a practical, domain-specific measure of parental agency suitable for research and clinical quality improvement in NICU settings.

Indexed as

caregiver engagementfamily-centered careNICUparental agencypsychometric validationscale development

Identifiers

PMID42577409
PMCPMC13454491

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.