Intervention effect to promote understanding of autonomic nervous system reaction of very low birth weight infant to parents' voice

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26463393
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Horigane Yukie 国際医療福祉大学, 小田原保健医療学部, 准教授 (90588857)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 真理 順天堂大学, 医療看護学部, 教授 (20216758) ; 香取 洋子 北里大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (90276171) ; 佐藤 真由美 埼玉医科大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (40375936)
• Research Collaborator: KAWAI Kumiko
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 早産児 / 自律神経系反応 / 声かけ / 母子相互作用 / 愛着

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this intervention, we aimed to aid parents’ understanding of the effect of their voice on preterm infants by showing them the response of the autonomic nervous system. There were 8 subjects consisting of 4 parent-preterm infant pairs. Self-esteem, feelings for babies and circles drawn of relationships were analyzed before and after the intervention.
Parasympathetic nerve activity increased in response to the mother’s voice for all pairs. There was no significant change in self-esteem score due to the intervention. Regarding feelings for babies, affirmative items increased for 3 subjects and negative items decreased for 4 subjects. In no case did negative items increase. With the ability to perceive changes in autonomic nervous activity in babies due to the voice, there was a tendency for negative emotions to decrease in mothers. Based on the circles that were drawn, there was no separation between parent and child and firm attachment was assumed to be developing for all 4 pairs.

Free Research Field

看護学