Abstract
This research aims to identify the psychological aspects of how parents experience their child’s retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), through a psychological interview. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to the content analysis method. The impact of the diagnosis varied according to the expectations of parents and their understanding of the disease, being softened by family and professional support. The difficulties were felt regarding the social positioning of the children and their limitations. Parents postponed projects, presented insecurity and fear of future sequels. Psychological assistance can occur since the time of diagnosis, considering the shared meanings, promoting the adequacy of expectations and prioritizing the family’s quality of life.
Keywords:
retinopathy of prematurity; visual impairment; parent-child relations