Development of a prompting method to promote adolescent mother/infant verbal interactions using bug-in-the-ear-feedback

• Main Author: Afua Ottie Arhin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2008-11-01
• Series: Psychology Research and Behavior Management
• Online Access: http://www.dovepress.com/development-of-a-prompting-method-to-promote-adolescent-motherinfant-v-a2616

Afua Ottie ArhinGrambling State University, Grambling, LA, USAAbstract: It has been documented that adolescent mothers are less verbally and emotionally responsive in their interactions with their children compared to adult mothers. These less than optimal adolescent mother/infant interactions have been found to affect the child’s healthy growth and development. This small study aimed to identify and characterize the frequency of verbal behaviors exhibited in the infant/adolescent mother dyad during feeding sessions during a baseline phase of a study that employed single subject methodology. An individualized bug-in-the-ear feedback and prompting parent training model was instituted in the intervention phase of the study to improve the frequency and quality of infant-mother interaction. Results of the study clearly revealed low frequency of verbal interaction in the baseline phase. After a structured prompting intervention was instituted there were positive effects in the mother’s behaviors which in turn positively impacted infant behavior.Keywords: adolescent mothers, verbal interactions, single subject design