Keefe, M. R., Karlsen, K. A., Lobo, M. L., Kotzer, A. M., & Dudley, W. N. (2006). Reducing parenting stress in families with irritable infants. Nursing Research, 55(3), 198-205.
Model(s) Reviewed:
REST Routine
| Screening decision | Screening conclusion | HomVEE procedures and standards version |
|---|---|---|
| Passes screens | Eligible for review | Version 1 |
| Rating | Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Compromised randomization | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measure(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Randomized controlled trial | Low | Not applicable | None | None | Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed before 2021 |
Notes:
Keefe, M. R., Lobo, M., Froese-Fretz, A., Kotzer, A. M., Barbosa, G., & Dudley, W. (2006) and Keefe M. R., Karlsen, K. A., Lobo, M. L., Kotzer, A. M., & Dudley, W. N. (2006) used the same sample.
High rating applies to treatment versus control comparison. Comparisons of these groups with the post-test-only group receive a low rating because of failure to establish baseline equivalence on socioeconomic status for that group.
| Study participants | Participants (infants and their parents) were either referred by their pediatrician or nurse or recruited through local advertisements. Infants were all full-term, healthy, low-risk births between the ages of 2 and 6 weeks and lived within a 2-hour radius of the metropolitan area. Researchers randomly assigned 137 infants and their caregivers: 71 to the treatment group and 66 to the comparison group. A third group of 48 infants and their caregivers were assigned to receive limited exposure to treatment and comprised a post-test-only group. These 48 infants exceeded the authors’ 2- to 6-week age cutoff and could not be included in the randomization. Baseline equivalence on socioeconomic status could not be established on this group and their results are excluded from the HomVEE review. Participants were followed for 8 weeks. |
|---|---|
| Setting | The study was conducted in Charleston, South Carolina, and Denver, Colorado. |
| Intervention services | The intervention included four home visits conducted by specially trained pediatric nurse specialists. The intervention consisted of four home visits that occurred weekly after baseline data were collected. Each home visit lasted approximately one hour and included infant behavior assessments and demonstrations. The intervention had two components: the first was activities to help colicky infants and the second component assisted parents. The principles guiding infant interventions were: (1) regulation, (2) entrainment, (3) structure, and (4) touch. The parent component covered four main content areas: (1) reassurance, (2) empathy, (3) support, and (4) time-out. |
| Comparison conditions | Comparison group members received a standard well-child care for a four-week period. |
| Subgroups examined |
This field lists subgroups examined in the manuscript (even if they were not replicated in other samples and not reported on the summary page for this model’s report). Subgroups are not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
| Funding sources | National Institutes of Nursing Research, Grants R0-1 NR04661. |
| Author affiliation | Maureen R. Keefe, a study author, is a developer of this model. |
| Peer reviewed | Peer reviewed status is not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
Findings that rate moderate or high
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Parenting Stress Index-Short Form | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Full sample | 4 weeks | 121 mother/child dyads | Not reported | Not reported | Repeated Measures = 2.30 | HomVEE calculated = 0.27 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |