Effects of early mother–infant intervention on outcomes in mothers and moderately and late preterm infants at age 1 year: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Infant behavior & development 2012-02, Vol.35 (1), p.36-47
• Main Authors: Ravn, Ingrid Helen, Smith, Lars, Smeby, Nina Aarhus, Kynoe, Nina Margrethe, Sandvik, Leiv, Bunch, Eli Haugen, Lindemann, Rolf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Breastfeeding; Child development; Depression; Developmental psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Infants; Maternal stress; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Mother–infant communication; Newborn. Infant; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Temperament; Treatments
• ISSN: 0163-6383; 1879-0453
• DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2011.09.006

► The Mother–Infant Transaction Program (MITP) reduced postpartum depression. ► MITP extended the period of breastfeeding in mothers of moderate and late preterms. ► MITP did not reduce maternal stress or enhance infant communication at 12 months. ► Intervention mothers reported less smile/laughter in their infants at 6/12 months. ► Less motor activity was observed at 12 months in the intervention group. There is a dearth of knowledge about the effects of early interaction-based interventions on parenting and infant communication skills in moderately and late preterm infants. Assess in a RCT the effects of the Mother–Infant Transaction program (MITP) on maternal depression and stress, breastfeeding and mothers’ perception of infant temperament; and MITP's impact on preterm infant communication skills at 12 months. Mothers/preterm infants (30–36 weeks) were randomly assigned to MITP (intervention group) or standard care (control group). Mean gestational age in the intervention group was 33.3 ± 1.5 ( n = 56) and in the control group ( n = 50) 33.0 ± 1.6. Outcomes were assessed by CES-D, Parenting Stress Index; WHO breast-feeding categories, Infant Behavior Questionnaire and The Pictorial Infant Communication Scales. Intervention mothers reported significantly less postpartum depression one month after discharge ( p = .04) and more breastfeeding at 9 months ( p = .02). No significant group differences in favour of the intervention group were found on total parenting stress at 6 ( p = .08) and 12 months ( p = .46) or on perceived infant communication skills at 12 months ( p = .86). The intervention mothers reported significantly less infant smile and laughter at 6 ( p = .02) and 12 ( p = .006) months and less motor activity at 12 months ( p = .04). The results suggest that MITP reduced postpartum depression and extended the period of breastfeeding, but did not support any positive effects of the intervention on self-reported maternal stress and perceived infant communication.