An Internet-Based Developmental Home Care Support Program Improved Maternal Psychological Symptoms and Infant Growth

Objective : To examine the effects of an internet-based Developmental Home Care Support program (DHCSP) to reduce maternal psychological symptoms and improve preterm infants’ physical growth outcomes. Methods : A randomized controlled trial was conducted. The mother-infant dyads ( n m = 34, n p = 40) were randomly assigned to either the DHCSP intervention group or the control group. Data were collected at discharge (T 0 ), 1-month corrected age (T 1 ), and 2-month follow-up (T 2 ), including mothers’ postpartum depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and mother-proxy infants’ body length, weight, and head circumference. Results : There were no significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the 2 groups at T 0 , except for mothers’ age and monthly household income (both P = .01). Mothers in the DHCSP group reported significantly higher decreases in depression symptoms ( β = −2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], −4.31 to −0.16, P = .03), and their preterm infants showed significantly more increases in body length ( β = 2.09; 95% CI, 0.30-3.87, P = .02) than the control participants at T 2 . The 2 groups did not show significant differences in mothers’ PTSD symptoms or infants’ body weight and head circumference. Conclusion : The internet-based DHCSP intervention was effective in improving mothers’ depressive symptoms and infants’ body length.