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. 2024 Nov 29;11(12):1461.
doi: 10.3390/children11121461.

The Effect of Group-Based Early Parent Education on Development in Preterm Infants

Joon Hee Lee  1 , Nam Hyun Lee  2 , In Jin Yoon  2 , Mi Jin Hong  3 , Eun Jung Choi  4 , Baek Hee Jang  1 , Jong Yoon Chang  1 , Byong Sop Lee  5 , Euiseok Jung  5 , In Young Sung  1 , Eun Jae Ko  1
Affiliations

The Effect of Group-Based Early Parent Education on Development in Preterm Infants

Joon Hee Lee et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Objectives: This study explored how group-based early parent education impacts development in preterm infants.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study, with a historical control group, included preterm infants (n = 246) with corrected ages (CAs) of 0-3 months. Those visiting the clinic between July 2017 and December 2018 formed the control group (n = 145), whereas those visiting between January 2019 and February 2020 (n = 101) constituted the education group. The education group received six education sessions performed by a physical therapist, and two sessions conducted by an occupational therapist at CAs of 0-6 months. Assessments included the following: Alberta Infant Motor Scale at CA 3, 6, 9, and 12 months; Bayley Scales of Infant Development II at CA 12 and 24 months; and the Sequenced Language Scale for Infants at CA 24 months.

Results: The education group, which initially showed greater developmental delay than the control group, showed no significant delay after education sessions. Developmental improvements were more prominent in infants born before 28 weeks' gestational age, and in infants with no, or mild, brain injury.

Conclusions: Group-based early parent education improved development at CA 24 months in preterm infants, especially in infants born before 28 weeks gestational age, and in infants with no, or mild, brain injury. This approach may enhance developmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Keywords: group-based education; parent education; preterm infants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of group-based parent education program and development assessment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Development outcomes according to gestational age. * p < 0.05 by independent t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test. Abbreviations: AIMS, Alberta Infant Motor Scale; BSID II, Bayley Scale of Infant Development II; ELI, Expressive Language Index; GA, Gestational Age; MDI, Mental Development Index; PDI, Psychomotor Development Index; RLI, Receptive Language Index; SELSI, Sequenced Language Scale for Infants.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Development outcomes according to brain injury. * p < 0.05 by independent t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test. Abbreviations: AIMS, Alberta Infant Motor Scale; BSID II, Bayley Scale of Infant Development II; ELI, Expressive Language Index; IVH, intraventricular hemorrhage; MDI, Mental Development Index; PDI, Psychomotor Development Index; PVL, periventricular leukomalacia; RLI, Receptive Language Index; SELSI, Sequenced Language Scale for Infants.
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