Improving cognitive development of low-birth-weight premature infants withthe COPE program: A pilot study of the benefit of early NICU intervention with mothers

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pare nt-focused intervention program (COPE) on infant cognitive development and maternal coping. A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 42 mothers of low-birth-weight (LBW) Premature infants hospitalized in a neonatal inte nsive care unit (Iq ICU), with follow-up at 3 months' and 6 months' correct ed ages. COPE mothers received the four-phase educational-behavioral progra m that began 2-4 days postbirth and continued through I week following disc harge from the NICU. Comparison mothers received audiotaped information dur ing the same four time frames. Results indicated that COPE infants had sign ificantly higher mental development scores at a 3 months' corrected age (M = 100.3) than did the comparison infants (M = 93.9), and this difference wi dened at 6 months' corrected age, with COPE infants scoring 14 points highe r. COPE mothers were significantly less stressed by the NICU sights and sou nds and had significantly stronger beliefs about what behaviors and charact eristics to expect from their premature infants. Findings from this study s upport the need for further testing of early NICU interventions with parent s to determine their effectiveness on parental coping and infant developmen tal outcomes. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.