All mothers who could read and speak English with children admitted to either of the 2 PICU study sites (ie, a 12 - bed PICU at a 124 - bed children's
hospital within a 720 - bed academic medical center in upstate New York or a 31 - bed PICU at a 235 - bed children's
hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania) were eligible to participate if their children 1) had an unplanned medical or surgical admission to the PICU, 2) were between 2 and 7 years of age, 3) were expected to survive, 4) had no prior ICU admissions, 5) had no cancer, and 6) had no
suspected or diagnosed physical or sexual
abuse.