The Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program to support preterm infants after hospital discharge: a pilot study

Dev Med Child Neurol. 2005 Feb;47(2):105-12. doi: 10.1017/s0012162205000198.

Abstract

In this pilot study we investigated the feasibility of The Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP) in a group of preterm infants. At the age of 6 months, the neurobehavioural organization and self-regulatory competence of an intervention group was compared with a control group who had received the standard follow-up care. The intervention group consisted of 13 males and seven females (mean gestational age [GA] 29.2 weeks, SD 1.3wks; mean birthweight 1232g, SD 320g). The control group consisted of 11 males and nine females (mean GA 29wks, SD 1.6wks; mean birthweight 1198g, SD 397g). Inclusion criteria were: a GA of 32 weeks and family residence in the district of Amsterdam. Exclusion criteria were: severe congenital abnormalities, intraventricular haemorrhage grade III or IV, periventricular leukomalacia grade III or IV, and infants whose mothers had a history of illicit drug use. The intervention infants received 6 to 8 IBAIP interventions at home, from discharge until 6 months of age. The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was administered at term; the Infant Behavioral Assessment (IBA) at term, 3, and 6 months of age; and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II at 3 and 6 months (corrected age). At 6 months, intervention infants showed less stress and more approach behaviours on the IBA compared with control infants. These promising results warrant further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attention / physiology
  • Child Development / physiology*
  • Demography
  • Early Intervention, Educational / methods*
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gestational Age
  • Health Services*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature / growth & development
  • Infant, Premature / psychology*
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / therapy
  • Male
  • Mental Processes / physiology
  • Motor Activity / physiology
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Discharge*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Statistics, Nonparametric