The influence of personal characteristics and social support regarding pacifier introduction among preterm infants

The study evaluated mothers of preterm infants who were discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with regard to their personal characteristics and those of their infants as well as the role that social support plays in deciding whether to introduce a pacifier during the first two years of the infant’s life. This longitudinal study was based on the Bioecological Theory of Human Development. The mothers were interviewed at the NICU and when their infants were 6, 12, 18, and 24 months old. The participants were grouped according to whether the infants used a pacifier (Group-A) or not (Group-B). The results showed that calm/peaceful maternal characteristics were more frequent in Group-A (75 %), and nervous/agitated/irritated in Group-B (61.5 %; p = 0.041). Calm/easy-to-care/ independent infant characteristics prevailed in Group-A (55 %), whereas agitated/messy/stubborn/aggressive characteristics did so in Group-B (84.6 %; p = 0.026). These latter traits were also associated with multiple offers for a pacifier (p = 0.006). Group-A reported one or two people in their social support network (77.8 %), whereas Group-B reported three to seven people (66.7 %; p = 0.001). In conclusion, calm/peaceful and calm/easy-to-care/independent characteristics predominated in the mothers and infants of Group-A; these infant traits were associated with easier pacifier acceptance. The extent of social support was significantly smaller in Group-A.