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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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Vitucci, Judith S. 1999. Mediated Learning Playgroups as a Tool For Improving Interactions between Drug-Exposed Infants and Their Mothers.
Abstract: Due to multiple ecological
variables, mothers of cocaine-exposed infants may experience difficulty
in interacting with their infants. This research was designed to describe
the behavioral effects of in utero cocaine exposure on maternal-infant
interactions in the first two years of life. The research was conducted
in Pinellas County, Florida, between 1995 and 1998. A program to facilitate
mother-infant interactions using Mediated Learning Experiences in a playgroup
setting was developed and implemented. This study used a four-group experimental
design composed of drug-exposed mother/infant dyads with non-drug-exposed
mother/infant dyads as controls. The sample consisted of 60 subjects
(mother/infant dyads). A quota sampling methodology was used with 30
drug-using women and 30 non-drug-using controls who were matched for
mothers’ age,
socioeconomic status and number of previous children. Half of each group
were given an opportunity to participate in the Mediated Learning playgroup
intervention. Factors studied included interaction behaviors, developmental
outcomes of the infants, stress, support and familial factors within
a medical ecology theoretical framework. Results showed that mothers
who attended at least four Mediated Learning playgroups had improved
interactions with their infants (p=0.0041), as measured by observing
interaction behaviors. By maternal self-report, 94.4% of the mothers
in the playgroup had improved interactions with their infants after the
playgroups. The quality of maternal infant interactions was inversely
related to the amount of self-reported stress (p=0.0073). The more stress
perceived by the women, the lower the interaction scores with her infant.
No significant differences were found in developmental scores of cocaine-exposed
infants when compared to drug-free infants. The goal of this project
was to apply knowledge from anthropological research to the problem of
maternal substance abuse in order to implement and evaluate an intervention
program for women and their infants. A Medical Ecology theoretical framework
shaped the study design and the interpretation of results.
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