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Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

NCT number NCT01385254
Other study ID # Pro00019788
Secondary ID 1R03NR011196-01A
Status Completed
Phase N/A
First received January 20, 2011
Last updated December 10, 2013
Start date January 2010
Est. completion date October 2012

Study information

Verified date December 2013
Source Duke University
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority United States: Institutional Review Board
Study type Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

The proposed study will explore longitudinally the impact of a very low birthweight (VLBW) infant on mother-sibling interactions and sibling adjustment. The study will also include a comparison group of fullterm infants to determine which sibling adjustment problems are typical of having a new baby in the home and which are associated with the unique stress of having a VLBW infant. This study will be the initial step in identifying factors affecting the adjustment of siblings of VLBW infants.


Description:

The proposed 2-year study will use a longitudinal, comparative, mixed method design to explore the impact of a Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) (≤33 weeks gestational age) infant on mother-sibling interactions and sibling adjustment. A comparison group of full term infants (≥38 weeks gestational age) will be included to elucidate sibling adjustment problems that are typical to having a new baby in the home and sibling adjustment problems that are associated with the unique stress of having to care for a VLBW infant. Participants will be fifty mothers and siblings of VLBW infants and fifty mothers and siblings of full term infants. Data collection will take place within one week of infant discharge from the hospital (enrollment), and at 1 month and 6 months post infant discharge using self-report measures, qualitative interviews, and mother-sibling interaction observation. Variables of interest include mother's worry, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress; mother-sibling interactions including uninvolvement, positive affect, negative affect, talk, looking and playing; internalizing and externalizing behaviors, sleep/somatic problems, and growth in siblings of VLBW and in siblings of the comparison group with full term infants. Mixed modeling and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression modeling will be conducted to identify factors that make siblings vulnerable to psychological and emotional adjustment problems in response to having a VLBW infant in the home. There are no anticipated risks for the infant participants of the study aside from the small risk of violating confidentiality of infant participants and their mothers. No risks for siblings are anticipated aside from the small risk of violating confidentiality.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Completed
Enrollment 300
Est. completion date October 2012
Est. primary completion date May 2012
Accepts healthy volunteers Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Gender Both
Age group N/A to 4 Years
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria for siblings:

- Siblings of very low birth weight or healthy, full-term infants

- age 4 years old or younger

- siblings and infants must live with the mother

Inclusion Criteria for mothers:

- no previous or current diagnosis of major psychological disorder (including bipolar disorder, psychosis, or active substance abuse)

- age 18 years or older

- English speaking,

- living within 1 hour's travel distance from Duke University, for feasibility.

- Mothers at-risk for preterm birth who meet all other eligibility criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

Mother/sibling pairs of infants who:

- have congenital neurological problems (congenital hydrocephalus or microcephaly),

- are symptomatic from substance exposure,

- are hospitalized longer than 1 month after term, or

- are technology dependent.

Study Design

Observational Model: Case Control, Time Perspective: Prospective


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


Locations

Country Name City State
United States Duke University Medical Center Durham North Carolina
United States Wake Medical Center Raleigh North Carolina

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
Duke University National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Differences in level of maternal worry in mothers of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants compared to mothers of full-term infants Explore how the trajectories of maternal worry about the infant and sibling, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress, concerns for and expectations of the sibling, and perceptions of sibling growth over the 6-month post discharge period differ between mothers of VLBW infants and mothers of fullterms. baseline, one month, six months No
Primary Differences in mother-sibling interaction between two groups Explore differences in mother-sibling interactions, including involvement, positive/negative affect, talking, looking and playing, at 1 and 6 months after infant discharge between the two groups of siblings and mothers, using a coding schema to score videotaped interactions. one month and six months No
Primary Differences in internalizing and externalizing behaviors between two groups Explore differences in internalizing and externalizing behaviors, vulnerability, and sleep/somatic problems at 6-months post-infant discharge between siblings of VLBW infants and siblings of fullterms, using a coding schema to score videotaped interactions. one month and six months No
Secondary Effects of maternal worry, anxiety, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on two groups Examine the effects of maternal worry, anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress on group differences in mother-sibling interactions at 1 and 6 months after infant discharge. one month and six months No
Secondary Change in mother-sibling interactions between groups Examine the effects of changes in mother-sibling interactions from 1 to 6 months after infant discharge on group differences in siblings' internalizing and externalizing behaviors, vulnerability, and sleep/somatic problems. one month and six months No