Effects of perinatal coaching on mother-infant interaction
M. W. Bristor, R. E. Helfer and K. B. Coy
Perinatal coaching, a skill-training program designed to promote and
enhance parent-infant interactions, was evaluated through a controlled
design. Forty-two first-time mothers and their clinically well newborns
from one private pediatric practice in central Michigan were the sample.
Twenty-one of the mothers received perinatal coaching on days 1, 2, and 7
post partum, while the remaining 21 served as the control group. At 28 days
post partum, two standardized self-report instruments on parental stress
and maternal adaptation, videotaped recordings of mother-infant
interactions, and demographic and background data were collected. The
groups were comparable on all demographic/background variables assessed.
Perinatal coaching was effective in promoting positive mother-infant
interactions as demonstrated in five of nine videotaped behavioral
assessments, indicating improved interactions for both mother and infant.
Some support was found that showed decreased stress in the coached mothers.
