The Quality of Spontaneous Movements of Preterm Infants

Associations with the Quality of Mother–Infant Interaction

Bibliographic Data

ID16782800
AuthorsOrna Lev‐Enacab (Maccabi Healthcare Services, corresponding author), Efrat Sher‐censor (0000-0003-2961-3129, University of Haifa), Christa Einspieler (0000-0002-7875-0632, Medical University of Graz), Galia Daube‐Fishman (University of Haifa), Sara Beni‐Shrem (Maccabi Healthcare Services)
Year2015
Volume20
Issue6
Pages634-660
Publication date2015-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfancy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1525-0008 • E-ISSN: 1532-7078
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/infa.12096
OpenAlexW2169479577
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited80

The assessment of the quality of infants’ spontaneous movements is a diagnostic tool for the young nervous system. We examined whether it relates to the quality of the interactions between infants born preterm and their mothers. Thirty‐nine healthy infants born preterm ( M age in weeks = 14.59, SD = 2.21; 38.46% female) and their mothers participated in the study. Infants’ quality of spontaneous movements was assessed using the General Movement Assessment according to Prechtl (Prechtl, Early Human Development 1990, 23 , 151). A new measurement was employed to evaluate the following aspects of the mother–infant interaction: maternal sensitivity in the motor modality (i.e., when touching, picking up, holding, and putting down the infant), maternal sensitivity in the modalities of vocalization and eye contact, and infants’ positive engagement. Several aspects of infants’ quality of movements were associated with maternal sensitivity in the motor modality and infants’ positive engagement, but not with maternal sensitivity in the modalities of vocalization and eye contact. These findings suggest that the quality of infants’ spontaneous movements may explain some of the variability in the interactions between infants born preterm and their mothers. The results also highlight the importance of differentiating between the modalities of mothers’ behavior when assessing their sensitivity. Implications for research and practice with families of preterm infants are discussed

Audiology · Developmental psychology · Eye contact · Eye movement · Maternal sensitivity · Modalities · Motor skill · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Infant Health and Development · Medicine · Neonatal and fetal brain pathology · Neuroscience · Psychology

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