title: Parent picture-book reading to infants in the neonatal intensive care unit as an intervention supporting parent-infant interaction and later book reading.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of a parent book reading intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on parent-infant interaction and on the incidence of parents reading to their infants 3 months post-NICU discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonrandomized, participant blinded intervention study using a historical control group (CG) was conducted. The intervention group (IG: n = 59) consisted of parents of infants admitted to the NICU after the introduction of the parent reading program. The CG (n = 57) consisted of parents of infants discharged from the NICU in the 3-month period before the introduction of the reading program. Questionnaires were mailed to participants 3 months after their infant's discharge and completed verbally, over the telephone. Groups were compared on parenting activities and reading. In addition, a thematic analysis of qualitative descriptive data provided insight into the parents' experiences with reading to their infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine percent of IG parents reported that reading helped them feel closer to their baby, and 86% reported it was enjoyable. Parents reported an increased sense of control and normalcy and increased intimacy with their infant. Twice as many parents in the IG reported reading 3 or more times a week to their infants (55.9% IG; 23.3% CG).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study results support the use of a parent book-reading intervention in the NICU to enhance parent-infant interactions and promote reading.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Clinic, The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre, 2300 Tupper Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. jan.lariviere@muhc.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lariviere
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rennick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011932:Reading; D016037:Single-Blind Method