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CompletedNCT00056680Updated Jun 20, 2007

Three-Part Program for Parents With Premature Infants

An interventional study of Psychoeducational video and Infant massage in Premature Birth, sponsored by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Completed at 5 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 32 Weeks to 37 Weeks. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2007-06-20.

Sponsored by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
173
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
32 Weeks to 37 Weeks
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study evaluated the efficacy of a comprehensive, three-part program for parents of premature infants. This program was designed to improve development in preterm children and includes an educational video, tests to evaluate the child's strengths and abilities, and instruction in infant massage.

Read the detailed description

Premature birth is a major cause of developmental delay, and cost-effective, replicable methods to promote development in preterm children are needed. Despite the success of first generation interventions, little is understood about why early intervention does not affect all parents and preterms to the same degree.

This study assessed the efficacy of a three-component intervention (psychoeducational video, serial administrations of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, and parent-administered infant massage) that targets preterm infants and their mothers and fathers. Outcome measures included infant physical, intellectual, and socioemotional development; parental sensitivity; and infant-parent attachment. The project also assessed the role of parental state of mind regarding attachment and parental commitment to the intervention.

Participants in this study were urban African American mothers and fathers of preterm, low birthweight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Fathers were eligible for the study if nominated by the child's mother. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. Both groups were comparable with respect to race, maternal pregnancy history, education, income, presence/absence of partner, infant gestational age, infant small-for-date status, and infant gender.

The intervention group viewed a videotape about preterm infant abilities. Over the course of the study, the intervention group administered infant massage and completed multiple administrations of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale with increasing parental involvement.

The intervention began when infants were 32 to 36 weeks post-conceptual age (PCA) and ended when infants are 52 to 56 weeks PCA. The efficacy of the intervention and the moderating roles of adult attachment and parental commitment to the intervention were evaluated in terms of infant physical, mental, motor, and social development, and parental adjustment and sensitivity to the infant during the first 2 years.

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Conditions studied

  • Premature Birth

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Keywords

  • Prematurity
  • low birthweight
  • parenting
  • intervention
03

In context

Premature Birth

2,554 studies on the registry are indexed under Premature Birth; 498 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 173 is above the median of 84 across 1,689 interventional studies indexed under Premature Birth.

Browse Premature Birth studies →

Lead sponsor

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is the lead sponsor of 416 studies on the registry; 25 are open to participants now.

Of its 13 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 10 (77%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
32 Weeks to 37 Weeks
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Infants born \< 37 weeks gestational age
  • Mothers 18 years of age or older
  • African American

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infants with chromosomal abnormalities or other genetic syndromes
  • Mothers with positive postpartum toxicology screens
  • Infants destined for foster care

Note: age limits for infants refer to post-conceptual age (not actual age)

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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Factorial assignment
Masking
Single
Enrollment
173 participants (actual)

Interventions

  • BehavioralPsychoeducational video
  • BehavioralInfant massage
  • BehavioralBrazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale
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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Anthropometrics (weight, height, head circumference), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, infant behavioral problems and behavioral competencies, maternal sensitivity, infant-parent attachment

    Time frame: collected at 4, 12, and 24 months of infant age

Secondary outcomes

  1. Maternal self-efficacy, parenting stress, perceptions of infant temperament

    Time frame: Collected at 4, 12, and 24 months of infant age

07

Study locations

5 sites
  • Children's National Medical Center
    Washington, District of Columbia 20010, United States
  • Washington Hospital Center
    Washington, District of Columbia 20010, United States
  • University of Maryland Medical Center
    Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
  • Mercy Medical Center
    Baltimore, Maryland 21202, United States
  • The Pennsylvania State University
    University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Teti DM, Hess CR, O'Connell M. Parental perceptions of infant vulnerability in a preterm sample: prediction from maternal adaptation to parenthood during the neonatal period. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2005 Aug;26(4):283-92. doi: 10.1097/00004703-200508000-00004. PubMed 16100501 ↗
  • Teti, D. M., & Killeen, L. (in press). The role of parental states of mind in effecting parental commitment to an intervention program for premature infants and their parents. In H. Steele & M. Steele (Eds.), The Adult Attachment Interview in Clinical Context. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Candelaria, MA, O'Connell, MA, & Teti, DM. (2006). Cumulative psychosocial and medical risk as predictors of early infant development and parenting stress in an African-American preterm sample. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 27(6), 588-597.
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 20, 2007, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00056680
Lead sponsor
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
First posted
Mar 24, 2003
Start date
Jul 2001
Completion
Dec 2006
Last update
Jun 20, 2007

Study contacts

Douglas M. Teti, Ph.D.
principal investigator · The Pennsylvania State University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in May 2007. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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