Abstract
Aims: To examine the effect of psychological intervention 18 months after discharge from the hospital on the parental emotional status, the parent-infant relationship, the behavioral and developmental status of premature infants.
Methods: Randomized, controlled trial. Infants born between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation. 33 infants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (INT) and 32 to follow-up only (C). Intervention : The INT group received bimonthly home visits until 4 months of corrected age and, then on, monthly visits at day care center until 18 months of corrected age.
Outcomes: Parent-infant relationship (PSI), post-traumatic stress (perinatal PTSD), behavioral status (Symptom Check List), cognitive development (Brunet-Lézine test).
Results: The mothers reported PSI scores at 3 months and at 18 months of age were respectively 91.9 ± 16.4 and 93.4 ± 14.1 in C group versus 94.2 ± 11. (p=0.170) and 76.9 ± 7.1 (p=0.001) in the INT group. For mothers, perinatal PTSD at discharge and at 18 months of age were respectively 4.9 ± 3.7 and 3.8 ± 2.5 in the C group versus 5.6 ± 3.0 (p=0.264) and 2.0 ± 1.7 (p=0.007) in the INT group. For fathers, results were 1.7 ± 1.6 in the C group at 3 months versus 0.8 ± 1.0 (p=0.068) in the INT group.
Symptom check list scores were significantly lower at 18th months of age (p=0.001) and cognitive development scores were significantly higher at 9th month of age (p=0.047) and at 18 months of age (p=0.026) in the INT group.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Guillois, B., Castel, S., Blaizot, X. et al. Effect of Psychological Intervention on the Developmental Status of Premature Infants after Discharge from the Hospital. Pediatr Res 70 (Suppl 5), 122 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2011.347
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2011.347