Mother-Preterm Infant Contingent Interactions During Supported Infant-Directed Singing in the NICU-A Feasibility...

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Development
• Music Therapy
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Supported infant-directed singing (IDS) benefits parents and preterm infants.
• Behavioral observations assess parent-infant interactions.
• Contingency in preterm infants during IDS is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess feasibility of analyzing mother-preterm infant contingency during supported IDS in the NICU.
• Evaluate behavioral synchrony during music therapy sessions.

Main Methods:

• Feasibility study with four mother-infant dyads in NICU.
• Video-recorded music therapy sessions analyzed by independent researchers.
• Adapted behavioral scales and inter-rater agreement used to code contingency.

Main Results:

• High inter-rater agreement for coded infant and maternal behaviors.
• Significant increase in infant and maternal head orientation during IDS.
• Maternal head orientation contingent on specific infant behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated mother-infant behavioral contingency during supported IDS.
• Video analysis with high inter-rater agreement is viable.
• Findings suggest IDS influences infant attention and regulation.