Does combining infant stimulation with emergency feeding improve psychosocial outcomes for displaced mothers and babies? A controlled evaluation from northern Uganda

TY - JOUR

T1 - Does combining infant stimulation with emergency feeding improve psychosocial outcomes for displaced mothers and babies?

T2 - A controlled evaluation from northern Uganda

AU - Morris, Jodi

AU - Jones, Lynne

AU - Berrino, Annamaria

AU - Jordans, Mark J D

AU - Okema, Leonard

AU - Crow, Carmen

N1 - © 2012 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

PY - 2012/7

Y1 - 2012/7

N2 - Combined psychosocial and nutrition interventions improve the development of infants. However, there is a paucity of studies examining the effectiveness of such interventions in humanitarian settings. This article examines the impact of combining a group-based psychosocial intervention with an existing emergency feeding program for internally displaced mothers in Northern Uganda. The intervention consisted of mother and baby group sessions and home visits for mothers attending 3 emergency feeding centers. Psychosocial outcomes were compared with a contrast group of mothers who received nutritional support alone. The outcomes investigated were infant stimulation and maternal mood. After controlling for the effects of interview site and baseline scores, mothers in the intervention group (n = 70) showed greater involvement with their babies, more availability of play materials, and less sadness and worry at follow-up in comparison to the contrast group (n = 77). The intervention was acceptable to the mothers and easily taught. A proportion of the mothers chose to continue the intervention spontaneously with other mothers in their neighbourhoods. Further research needs to be done to validate these preliminary findings and explore the longer term impact on child growth and intellectual development as well as maternal mood.

AB - Combined psychosocial and nutrition interventions improve the development of infants. However, there is a paucity of studies examining the effectiveness of such interventions in humanitarian settings. This article examines the impact of combining a group-based psychosocial intervention with an existing emergency feeding program for internally displaced mothers in Northern Uganda. The intervention consisted of mother and baby group sessions and home visits for mothers attending 3 emergency feeding centers. Psychosocial outcomes were compared with a contrast group of mothers who received nutritional support alone. The outcomes investigated were infant stimulation and maternal mood. After controlling for the effects of interview site and baseline scores, mothers in the intervention group (n = 70) showed greater involvement with their babies, more availability of play materials, and less sadness and worry at follow-up in comparison to the contrast group (n = 77). The intervention was acceptable to the mothers and easily taught. A proportion of the mothers chose to continue the intervention spontaneously with other mothers in their neighbourhoods. Further research needs to be done to validate these preliminary findings and explore the longer term impact on child growth and intellectual development as well as maternal mood.

KW - Adult

KW - Affect

KW - Child Development

KW - Education

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Mother-Child Relations

KW - Mothers

KW - Social Support

KW - Treatment Outcome

KW - Uganda

U2 - 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2012.01168.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2012.01168.x

M3 - Article

C2 - 22880973

SN - 0002-9432

VL - 82

SP - 349

EP - 357

JO - American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

JF - American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

IS - 3

ER -