Introduction: Interactive communication between young infants and mothers is a particularly salient social experience. During early communication, a mother models and reinforces sounds and expressions that ultimately lead to the development of words. The amount and quality of these exchanges help to determine social and interactive abilities and speech and language performance. Premature infants typically display less preference for novelty and have shorter periods of attention. They also show a less intense and often delayed response to stimulation.
Purpose: The purpose of this research was to determine the sequencing of vocal and nonvocal behavior between premature infants and their mothers.
Sample: Premature infants born between 26 and 32 weeks gestation
Method: Videotaped observations were made of 20 premature infant –mother dyads on 3 occasions: at approximately 36 weeks gestation, again at 42 weeks gestation, and at 4 months corrected age. The videotapes were 45 minutes in length and recorded natural interactions between the infant and mother during a period of wakefulness.
Analysis: Extensive behavioral coding of the videotaped data has been conducted using a coding schema developed for this study. The frequency and duration of specific vocal and nonvocal behaviors will be determined. Sequential analysis will be used to model the transitional and conditional probabilities for vocal and nonvocal behaviors of the infants and mothers. The progression of early communication patterns over the first 4 months will be determined using the mixed general linear model.
Nursing implications: Mothers and infants develop synchronous patterns of interaction that encourages vocalization and animated behavior. Premature infants do not have the opportunity to engage in consistent interactive communication with their mothers for several weeks, and often experience noxious stimulation in the NICU. This study will describe their patterns of behavior, and will help to design interventions to improve early communication efforts of premature infants.
Session #1219 - Poster Session I
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)