Music therapy enhances preterm infant’s signs of engagement and sustains maternal singing in the NICU

Hospitalized preterm infants are exposed to stressful stimuli and early parental separation, which can undermine their long-term development mother-infant bonding. Family-centered music therapy enable positive interactions, mediated by maternal infant-directed singing. This study aimed investigate the effects of on infant’s signs engagement, namely Eye Opening (EO) Smiling (SM), vocalizations. Participants were 30 mother-preterm infant dyads in a Brazilian Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), divided into Music Therapy Group (MTG) Comparison (CG). The MTG participated 6 sessions Intervention for Mother-Preterm Infant Dyad (MUSIP), with aim supporting singing infant. Prior discharge, all mothers filmed during Non-singing (NS) Singing (S) interactional condition; S condition, explicitly asked address Results video audio analysis showed that displayed greater frequency compared CG, but only when they an initial awake state at test, suggesting potentialize infants’ alertness, increasing disposition chances being engaged interaction mother. Non-religious appeared sing significantly more than CG. These preliminary findings indicate NICU could promote engagement interactions sustain singing, especially non-religious Brazil.