Family Interaction and Motor Development of Children Who Required Intensive Care at Birth

Abstract

The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-MI) was used to describe family interaction in a sample of families whose children required intensive care at birth. Families represented a low-risk group that was homogenous in terms of socioeconomic status, marital status, and education. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS), Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), and the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT) were used to determine the incidence of developmental delay in the children. The convenience sample consisted of 45 children and their 38 parents. The children ranged in age from 6 months to 7 years old. Parents reported congruence and satisfaction on measures of cohesion and adaptability on the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale, indicating a stable family sample. On qualitative analysis of all the mothers' perception of their children's developmental status there were two distinct groups. One group thought the children were developmentally appropriate, the other group was less certain. Frequency data using PDMS developmental quotients indicated that 38% of the children scored 1.5–2 SD below the mean in total fine motor, and 26% of the children scored 1.5–2 SD below the mean in total gross motor. Positive correlations were found between the eye-hand coordination subtest of the PDMS and the VMI and between the VMI and the MVPT. The results of the study support the need for both quantitative and qualitative evaluation of family function and parent perception as part of sequential developmental follow-up of all children who require intensive care at birth.