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"Infant Behavior"
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Enhancing infant attachment security: An examination of treatment efficacy and differential susceptibility
This randomized controlled trial examined (a) the efficacy of a brief intervention designed to increase the rate of secure infant attachment, (b) the differential susceptibility hypothesis, and (c) whether maternal attachment styles moderated the expected Treatment × Irritability interaction in predicting infant attachment outcomes. Although there was no main effect of treatment, a significant Treatment × Irritability interaction revealed intervention effects for the highly irritable infants only, thus supporting one of two predictions of the differential susceptibility hypothesis: highly irritable infants would have disproportionately better outcomes than moderately irritable infants in better conditions (i.e., with intervention). When separate analyses were conducted with maternal attachment styles, we found significant three-way interactions among treatment, irritability, and each of the examined maternal attachment style dimensions (i.e., secure–fearful and dismissing–preoccupied). Specifically, with more secure mothers, beneficial effects of intervention emerged for highly irritable infants. For more dismissing mothers, the results revealed support for both predictions of the differential susceptibility hypothesis: highly irritable infants, compared to moderately irritable infants, were both more likely to be secure with intervention and less likely to be secure when in the control group. It is interesting that, for more preoccupied mothers, a treatment effect emerged only for moderately irritable infants. We discuss the implications of these findings for the differential susceptibility hypothesis as well as for early intervention.
Journal Article
Effect of earmuff use on physiological and behavioral responses in preterm neonates: a non-randomized, controlled, before-after, quality improvement, observational prospective cohort study
Preterm neonates have immature body organs and even have stronger sensitivity towards environmental stress as compared with normal neonates. The NICU is a stress-causing environment because of noise produced from various sources like medical devices, monitor alarms, staff conversation, and the sound of cries from different neonates. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends sound level should be less than 45 dB in NICU. A non-randomized, controlled, before-after, quality improvement, observational prospective cohort study was conducted on 100 preterm neonates. The samples were divided into two groups of 50 each: control and experimental. Physiological parameters were recorded, and the ABSS tool was used to assess behavioral responses. The control group received routine care, while the experimental group was provided with earmuffs. The study revealed significant improvements in physiological parameters and behavioral responses in preterm neonates using earmuffs. Experimental group neonates showed better thermal stability, reduced stress, improved respiratory and cardiovascular stability, and enhanced oxygenation (
p
< 0.001). Behavioral improvements included increased sleep duration and reduced restlessness, with statistically significant differences observed in all parameters compared to the control group.
Conclusion
: We conclude that the application of Earmuff is a fruitful method for preterm neonates to improve and stabilize the physiological parameters and behavioral response.
What is Known:
•
Excessive noise in NICUs causes stress and physiological instability in preterm neonates.
•
Noise reduction strategies, including ear protectors, help stabilize vital signs and improve neonatal outcomes.
What is New:
•
This study confirms the effectiveness of earmuffs in improving physiological and behavioral responses in preterm neonates.
•
It demonstrates the feasibility of earmuff use in routine neonatal care within the study region.
Journal Article
Communicating to Learn: Infants' Pointing Gestures Result in Optimal Learning
Infants' pointing gestures are a critical predictor of early vocabulary size. However, it remains unknown precisely how pointing relates to word learning. The current study addressed this question in a sample of 108 infants, testing one mechanism by which infants' pointing may influence their learning. In Study 1,18-montholds, but not 12-month-olds, more readily mapped labels to objects if they had first pointed toward those objects than if they had referenced those objects via other communicative behaviors, such as reaching or gaze alternations. In Study 2, when an experimenter labeled a not pointed-to-object, 18-month-olds' pointing was no longer related to enhanced fast mapping. These findings suggest that infants' pointing gestures reflect a readiness and, potentially, a desire to learn.
Journal Article
Maternal mental health and infant emotional reactivity: a 20-year two-cohort study of preconception and perinatal exposures
Maternal mental health during pregnancy and postpartum predicts later emotional and behavioural problems in children. Even though most perinatal mental health problems begin before pregnancy, the consequences of preconception maternal mental health for children's early emotional development have not been prospectively studied.
We used data from two prospective Australian intergenerational cohorts, with 756 women assessed repeatedly for mental health problems before pregnancy between age 13 and 29 years, and during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum for 1231 subsequent pregnancies. Offspring infant emotional reactivity, an early indicator of differential sensitivity denoting increased risk of emotional problems under adversity, was assessed at 1 year postpartum.
Thirty-seven percent of infants born to mothers with persistent preconception mental health problems were categorised as high in emotional reactivity, compared to 23% born to mothers without preconception history (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4-3.1). Ante- and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were similarly associated with infant emotional reactivity, but these perinatal associations reduced somewhat after adjustment for prior exposure. Causal mediation analysis further showed that 88% of the preconception risk was a direct effect, not mediated by perinatal exposure.
Maternal preconception mental health problems predict infant emotional reactivity, independently of maternal perinatal mental health; while associations between perinatal depressive symptoms and infant reactivity are partially explained by prior exposure. Findings suggest that processes shaping early vulnerability for later mental disorders arise well before conception. There is an emerging case for expanding developmental theories and trialling preventive interventions in the years before pregnancy.
Journal Article
Investigating the effect of breastfeeding counselling based on latch, position and Information-Motivation-Behavior model on maternal and neonatal indices: a clinical trial
Background and objectives
This study compares the impact of breastfeeding counselling based on the Information-Motivation-Behavior model (IMB) with routine counselling at the breastfeeding counselling center on certain health indices of mothers and their infants.
Methods
The present study is a clinical trial using a convenient sampling method conducted randomly on the referred mothers and their infants. Participants were allocated into two groups “routine counseling at the breastfeeding counseling center” and “breastfeeding counseling based on the Information-Motivation-Behavior Model” (59 mothers and their infants in each group). Demographic information, WHO breastfeeding observation form, latch assessment form, infant weight, maternal body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and postpartum depression questionnaire were filled. Outcomes were reassessed at 2, 4, and 6 months of children’s age for both groups. The infant behaviour questionnaire was completed only at 6 months.
Results
The two groups were similar in terms of demographic variables and obstetric history, such as maternal education (
p
= 0.589), spouse’s occupation (
p
= 0.457), wanted/unwanted pregnancy (
p
= 0.154), and delivery type (
p
= 0.349). In the intervention group, significant differences were found compared to the routine counseling group in postpartum depression scores (
p
-value = 0.030), body mass index (
p
-value < 0.001), latch assessment scores (
p
-value < 0.001), and total WHO breastfeeding observation form scores (
p
-value < 0.001). In this study, the results were in favor of the intervention group. These differences became observable from the second month, leading to the continuation of exclusive breastfeeding and a reduction in maternal dropout rates.
Conclusion
Application of counselling with the IMB model can motivate correct breastfeeding behaviours and improve maternal and infant health indices.
Trial registration
This trial is registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial with the identifier IRCT20170611034452N15 (registration date 20230428).
Journal Article