Authors (including presenting author) :
YU, NKK (1), Shum, KKM (2), Lam, YY (3), Kwan, QKL (1),Ng, SYP(4), Chan, NTT(5)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Clinical Psychology, Kwong Wah Hospital (2) Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong (3) Department of Pediatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, (4) Department of Clinical Psychology, United Christian Hospital, (5)Counseling and Development Center, Hong Kong Baptist University
Objectives :
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally adapted version of the Mother-Infant Transaction Program (MITP) among Chinese mothers with premature infants in public hospitals (Kwong Wah Hospital & United Christian Hospital) in Hong Kong.
Methodology :
Mothers of hospitalized premature infants (mean gestational age = 32.1 weeks; SD = 2.8) were randomly assigned to either the MITP group or the treatment-as-usual control group. The intervention group (n=30; mean age = 34.6; SD = 3.1) received four sessions of parental sensitivity training adapted from the MITP, delivered by clinical psychologists before the infants were discharged. The control group (n=30; mean age = 34.4; SD = 5.2) received standard care provided by the hospitals. Each dyad was assessed at baseline (Time 1), immediately after intervention (Time 2), and when the infants were at the gestation-corrected ages of 3, 6, 9, and 12 months (Times 3-6). Maternal sensitivity, mother-infant interaction quality, parenting stress, postpartum depression, and mother’s perception of infant’s temperament were measured at Times 1-4, while infants’ weight gain and developmental performance were assessed at Times 3-6.
Result & Outcome :
The MITP group showed significantly higher sensitivity to the infant’s cues, higher warmth, lower intrusiveness, and stronger engagement with the infant after completing the training. They also reported significantly less parenting stress and postnatal depression than the control group at Time 2 and subsequent follow-ups. The intervention significantly predicted better weight gain and developmental outcomes in infants across Times 3-6, mediated by maternal wellbeing and interaction quality. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the MITP in a non-Western culture.
