Publication Name	World Journal of Psychiatry
Manuscript ID	119676
Country	Türkiye

Category	Nursing
Manuscript Type	Observational Study
Article Title	Nurses’ experiences of managing maternal anxiety during kangaroo mother care: A qualitative study in the neonatal intensive care units
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Zeynep Aközlü, İrem Cafrı, Merve Azak and Seda Çağlar
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Merve Azak, Assistant Professor, PhD, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, University Street, Avcılar, Istanbul 34320, Türkiye. merve.azak@iuc.edu.tr
Key Words	Kangaroo mother care; Maternal anxiety; Neonatal nursing; Neonate; Newborn
Core Tip	This qualitative descriptive study examines how nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit address maternal anxiety during kangaroo mother care. The findings reveal that nurses are not only clinical practitioners but also emotional regulators who transform maternal fear into self-efficacy through therapeutic communication and modeling. In contrast to the predominant focus on burnout in the field, effectively managing anxiety leads to substantial professional fulfillment for nurses. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing ergonomic inadequacies in the neonatal intensive care unit and strengthening nurses’ professional confidence through anxiety management training tailored to their needs.
Citation	Aközlü Z, Cafrı İ, Azak M, Çağlar S. Nurses’ experiences of managing maternal anxiety during kangaroo mother care: A qualitative study in the neonatal intensive care units. World J Psychiatry 2026; In press

Received	2026-02-03 00:46
Peer-Review Started	2026-02-03 00:47
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-12 07:50
Return for Revision	2026-02-12 07:50
Revised	2026-02-19 19:45
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-03-24 02:51
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-03-24 06:51
Articles in Press	2026-03-24 06:51
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2220-3206 (online)
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Copyright	© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
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