The Effects of Infant Massage on Weight, Height, and Mother-Infant Interaction.
10.4040/jkan.2006.36.8.1331
- Author:
Hae Kyung LEE
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, 192-1 Whewja-dong, Chuncheon, Korea. leehk@kangwon.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Controlled Clinical Trial
- Keywords:
infant massage;
mother-infant interaction
- MeSH:
Anthropometry;
*Body Height;
*Body Weight;
Chi-Square Distribution;
Child Development;
Child Psychology;
Facial Expression;
Female;
Health Education/*organization & administration;
Health Promotion;
Humans;
Infant;
Infant Behavior;
Infant Care/methods/psychology;
Male;
*Massage/education/methods/psychology;
*Mother-Child Relations;
*Mothers/education/psychology;
Nursing Evaluation Research;
Object Attachment;
Single-Blind Method;
Temperament;
Verbal Behavior;
Videotape Recording
- From:
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2006;36(8):1331-1339
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of infant massage (auditory (mother's voice), tactile/kinesthetic (massage) and visual (eye to eye contact) stimulation) on weight and height of infant and mother-infant interaction with normal infants over a period of 4 weeks. METHOD: This study was designed as a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group infants (aged 2-6 months) participated in one of the infant massage programs at the health district center for 4 weeks. The control group (N=26) was paired with the experimental group (N=26) by matching the infant's age and sex. Infant weight, height, and mother-infant interaction were measured two times and recordings of the mother-infant interaction were done using the video equipment in a room at the health center for 10 minutes. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of massage, there were no significant differences weight gain and height increase between the two groups. Comparison of the total scores for the mother-infant interaction between the two groups showed a significant difference (t=5.21, p=.000). There were also significant differences on maternal response (t=3.78, p=000), infant response (t=5.71, p=000) and dyadic response (t=4.05, p=000) in the mother-infant interaction between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of this study reassure that infant massage facilitates the mother-infant interaction for infants and mothers who give massage to their baby.
