Effects on Child Development and Parent–Child Interaction of the FACAM Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Study of an Interdisciplinary Intervention to Support Women in Vulnerable Positions through Pregnancy and Early Motherhood

Maiken Pontoppidan, Lene Nygaard, Jonas Cuzulan Hirani, Mette Thorsager, Mette Friis-Hansen, Deborah Davis and Ellen Aagaard Nohr
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Lene Nygaard: Research Unit for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
Jonas Cuzulan Hirani: VIVE—The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052 Copenhagen, Denmark
Mette Thorsager: VIVE—The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052 Copenhagen, Denmark
Mette Friis-Hansen: VIVE—The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052 Copenhagen, Denmark
Deborah Davis: Faculty of Health, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Ellen Aagaard Nohr: Research Unit for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Health inequality can have a profound impact on a child’s life. Maternal mental health challenges can hinder bonding, leading to impaired functioning and poorer child outcomes. To provide extra support for vulnerable pregnant women, the FACAM intervention offers the services of a health nurse or family therapist from pregnancy until the child starts school. This study examined the effects of FACAM intervention on pregnant women in vulnerable positions and their children until the child turned two years old. We randomly assigned 331 pregnant women to either FACAM intervention or care as usual and assessed them at baseline and when the infant was 3–6, 12–13.5, and 24 months old. The primary outcome was maternal sensitivity measured by Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB). Secondary outcomes included the parent–child relationship, child social–emotional development, child developmental progress, parent–child interaction, and child development. Our findings indicate that care-as-usual children were significantly more involved than FACAM children when the child was 4–6 months old (b = −0.25, [−0.42; −0.08] d = −0.42). However, we suspect this result is due to a biased dropout. We did not find any significant differences in any other outcomes. Therefore, the study suggests that the FACAM intervention is not superior to care as usual regarding child development and parent–child interaction outcomes.

Keywords: pregnant; mother; family; mental health; infant; multidisciplinary; early intervention; disadvantaged populations; parenting; randomized controlled trial (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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