Parental Beliefs About the Motor Development of Dutch Infants Born Very Preterm: A Cohort Study

Imke Suir, Marike Boonzaaijer, Ora Oudgenoeg-Paz, Petra E.M. van Schie, Jacqueline Nuysink, Marian J. Jongmans*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the influence of preterm birth on parental beliefs about gross motor development and parents' supportive role in infants' motor development. Methods: Prospective cohort study: Parents of infants born very preterm (VPT) (gestation ≤32 weeks, birth weight <1500 g, without perinatal complications) and parents of healthy infants born full-term (FT) completed the Parental Beliefs on Motor Development questionnaire. Results: Questionnaires from 37 parents of infants born VPT, aged 3.5 to 7.5 months (corrected), and 110 parents of infants born FT, aged 3.5 months, were analyzed. Parents of infants born VPT believed stimulating motor development to be more important than parents of infants born FT (F = 5.22; P = .024; ηp2 = 0.035). Most parents of infants born VPT (82.4%) and FT (85.2%) acknowledged their role in supporting motor development. More parents of infants born VPT (41.2% vs 12.0%) believed they should follow their infant's natural developmental pace. Conclusion: Knowledge of parental beliefs and parents' supporting role in motor development is relevant for tailoring pediatric physiotherapists' interventions with families.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)95-103
Number of pages9
JournalPediatric Physical Therapy
Volume36
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2024

Keywords

  • infant
  • motor development
  • parental belief
  • preterm

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