An Early Collaborative Intervention Focusing on Parent-Infant Interaction in the Neonatal Period. A Descriptive Study of the Developmental Framework

Charlotte Sahlén Helmer, Ulrika Birberg Thornberg and Evalotte Mörelius
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Charlotte Sahlén Helmer: Division of Nursing Sciences and Reproductive Health, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Ulrika Birberg Thornberg: Department of Behavioural Science and Learning, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Evalotte Mörelius: Division of Nursing Sciences and Reproductive Health, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Moderate to late preterm infants are at risk of developing problems later in life. To support attachment and infants’ development, high quality parent-infant interaction is important. Parent-infant interaction is known to improve through intervention programs but since no such intervention program is addressed directly to moderate to late preterm infants, a tailor-made intervention was developed. The aim was to describe the rationale, development, framework and practical provision of a new early collaborative intervention program. This study has a descriptive design and the intervention is described using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication. During an intervention-session, the preterm infant’s cues are made visible to the parents as they perform an everyday care-taking procedure. Instant feedback is delivered to give the parents the opportunity to notice, interpret and respond to cues immediately. The infant’s response to the parent’s action is discussed in a dialogue to instantly guide parents´ awareness of the preterm infant’s subtle cues. This study describes a new early collaborative intervention, developed to support interaction between parents and their moderate to late preterm infants starting in the neonatal intensive care unit. Clinical studies evaluating parental experiences as well as the effects of the early intervention are ongoing, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02034617.

Keywords: behavior; caregivers; descriptive design; early intervention; family health; infant health; infant premature; intensive care neonatal; neonatal nursing; parents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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