Parents of Preterm and Very Low Birthweight Infants and Their Childrearing Practices

Abstract

Emerging research supports that early intervention leads to better health and higher functional status for infants with very low birthweight and/or low gestational age. Optimizing the transition from neonatal intensive care to early intervention programs relies heavily on parent engagement. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to investigate the relationship between parental characteristics, childrearing behaviors, and participation in early intervention. We used convenience sampling of 49 parents who participated in early intervention and the Parent Behavior Checklist to assess parent characteristics. Correlation coefficients between parenting behaviors, birthweight, and participation in early intervention were low. An important finding was that most parents in this study were within the “average” range for childrearing practices, despite the documented challenges associated with very low birthweight or gestational age. Despite documented challenges, parents of preterm infants with very low birthweight and parents of typical birthweight infants have similar parenting beliefs and behavior.