Attachment- and Relationship-Based Interventions during NICU Hospitalization for Families with Preterm/Low-Birth Weight Infants: A Systematic Review of RCT Data

This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis of the randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of attachment- and relationship-based interventions in the NICU. A systematic search of the PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase (OVID), PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted in February 2021. Of the 32,904 studies examined, 15 were identified as relevant, and 10 RCTs were eligible for meta-analysis. Cochrane’s risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the trial reporting. Interventions were categorized as (1) parent–infant interactions, (2) parent education, and/or (3) support through qualitative synthesis. The attachment- or relationship-based intervention was effective in relieving maternal traumatic stress, maternal depression, infant weight growth, and infant development. Subgroup analyses suggested that interventions significantly improved sub-domains of mothers’ and children’s interactive behavior. Tailored, staged interventions may contribute to better health outcomes in preterm infants and their families.