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. 2022 Apr 1;34(2):146-161.
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000873.

Effect of Contingency Paradigm-Based Interventions on Developmental Outcomes in Young Infants: A Systematic Review

Ketaki Inamdar  1 , Sonia Khurana, Stacey C Dusing
Affiliations

Effect of Contingency Paradigm-Based Interventions on Developmental Outcomes in Young Infants: A Systematic Review

Ketaki Inamdar et al. Pediatr Phys Ther. .

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of contingency paradigm-based interventions to improve feeding, motor, or cognitive outcomes during the first year of life.

Summary of key points: Seventeen studies, including 10 randomized controlled trials, incorporating contingency paradigm-based interventions were identified. Three of 3 trials reported improvements in nutritive sucking using pacifier-activated lullaby in preterm infants before term age. Seven of 12 trials reported improvements in reaching, manual exploration, and kicking behaviors in term and preterm infants; and 6 of 10 trials reported gains in early cognition using sticky mittens and contingent toys.

Conclusion and recommendations for clinical practice: Contingency paradigm-based interventions can improve feeding outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit in very preterm infants, and increase reaching, and perceptual-cognitive behaviors in term infants. Future research is needed to establish contingency paradigms as an effective early intervention strategy.

What this adds to the evidence: This review synthesizes a body of literature on contingency paradigm-based interventions and highlights its potential paradigm-based interventions to improve developmental outcomes in infants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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