The Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program for very low birth weight infants at 6 months corrected age.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP), designed to support and enhance infants' self-regulatory competence, improved developmental and neurobehavioral outcomes in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.


METHODS
We randomized 86 infants to 1 intervention before discharge and to 6 to 8 home interventions until 6 months corrected age, and 90 control infants received standard care. Developmental and behavioral outcomes were evaluated at 6 months corrected age with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II). Neurobehavioral functioning was evaluated with the Infant Behavioral Assessment (IBA) at baseline and at 6 months corrected age.


RESULTS
Despite randomization, some differences in neonatal characteristics were found between the intervention and control infants. After adjustment, intervention effects of 7.2 points (+/- standard error 3.1) on the Mental Developmental Index and 6.4 +/- 2.4 points on the Psychomotor Developmental Index favored the intervention infants. The Behavioral Rating Scale of the BSID-II (P = .000) and the IBA (more approach [P = .003] and less stress [P = .001] over time) also favored the intervention infants.


CONCLUSIONS
The IBAIP improved the mental, motor, and behavioral outcomes of VLBW infants at 6 months corrected age.
Koldewijn
Karen
K
Department of Rehabilitation, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. k.koldewijn@amc.uva.nl
Wolf
Marie-Jeanne
MJ
van Wassenaer
Aleid
A
Meijssen
Dominique
D
van Sonderen
Loekie
L
van Baar
Anneloes
A
Beelen
Anita
A
Nollet
Frans
F
Kok
Joke
J
D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D008606:Mental Processes; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors