Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU
IntroductionSinging fosters emotional connections, attachment, bonding, and language development in infants. Prematurely born infants, however, are at risk of missing this vital communication, impacting neurodevelopment and family wellbeing, especially during prolonged hospital stays. Kangaroo care...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440905/full |
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| author | Pernilla Hugoson Friederike Barbara Haslbeck Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Louise Eulau Louise Eulau |
| author_facet | Pernilla Hugoson Friederike Barbara Haslbeck Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Louise Eulau Louise Eulau |
| author_sort | Pernilla Hugoson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionSinging fosters emotional connections, attachment, bonding, and language development in infants. Prematurely born infants, however, are at risk of missing this vital communication, impacting neurodevelopment and family wellbeing, especially during prolonged hospital stays. Kangaroo care provides physiological and emotional support, while Creative Music Therapy (CMT) has demonstrated positive effects on neurodevelopment, parental wellbeing, and attachment. The Singing Kangaroo project, a Swedish-Finnish multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT), investigated the impact of parental singing during kangaroo care. This qualitative follow-up study explores these findings through the lens of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) model.MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 families (20 intervention group, eight control group) at their infant's 5-month corrected age. The intervention group received CMT twice weekly during kangaroo care for 4 weeks in the NICU, while the control group received standard care. Data were analyzed inductively, followed by deductive categorization within the SOC framework, focusing on its three core components: Manageability, Comprehensibility, and Meaningfulness.ResultsParents in the intervention group reported enhanced understanding of how singing fosters attachment and boosts their self-esteem, aligning with increased manageability and comprehensibility. Control group parents also experienced joy in singing, which positively influenced family wellbeing, albeit less extensively. Across both groups, singing was described as a meaningful activity that strengthened parent-infant bonding and promoted emotional connection within the family.ConclusionParental singing during kangaroo care, particularly when supported by a trained music therapist, enhances parents' sense of coherence by fostering comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. This study highlights the long-term benefits of integrating CMT into family-centered NICU care to support both infants' neurodevelopment and family wellbeing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ee532dbbd3bb4675b62e20deeb99730f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-ee532dbbd3bb4675b62e20deeb99730f2025-02-04T06:31:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-02-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.14409051440905Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICUPernilla Hugoson0Friederike Barbara Haslbeck1Ulrika Ådén2Ulrika Ådén3Ulrika Ådén4Louise Eulau5Louise Eulau6Sachsska Children's and Youth Hospital/Södersjukhuset University Hospital, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Neonatology, Newborn Research Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Neonatal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Bioclinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Nursing Science, Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SwedenIntroductionSinging fosters emotional connections, attachment, bonding, and language development in infants. Prematurely born infants, however, are at risk of missing this vital communication, impacting neurodevelopment and family wellbeing, especially during prolonged hospital stays. Kangaroo care provides physiological and emotional support, while Creative Music Therapy (CMT) has demonstrated positive effects on neurodevelopment, parental wellbeing, and attachment. The Singing Kangaroo project, a Swedish-Finnish multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT), investigated the impact of parental singing during kangaroo care. This qualitative follow-up study explores these findings through the lens of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) model.MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 families (20 intervention group, eight control group) at their infant's 5-month corrected age. The intervention group received CMT twice weekly during kangaroo care for 4 weeks in the NICU, while the control group received standard care. Data were analyzed inductively, followed by deductive categorization within the SOC framework, focusing on its three core components: Manageability, Comprehensibility, and Meaningfulness.ResultsParents in the intervention group reported enhanced understanding of how singing fosters attachment and boosts their self-esteem, aligning with increased manageability and comprehensibility. Control group parents also experienced joy in singing, which positively influenced family wellbeing, albeit less extensively. Across both groups, singing was described as a meaningful activity that strengthened parent-infant bonding and promoted emotional connection within the family.ConclusionParental singing during kangaroo care, particularly when supported by a trained music therapist, enhances parents' sense of coherence by fostering comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. This study highlights the long-term benefits of integrating CMT into family-centered NICU care to support both infants' neurodevelopment and family wellbeing.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440905/fullemotional attachmentkangaroo caremusic therapyNICUparental singingpatient and family centered care |
| spellingShingle | Pernilla Hugoson Friederike Barbara Haslbeck Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Ulrika Ådén Louise Eulau Louise Eulau Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU Frontiers in Psychology emotional attachment kangaroo care music therapy NICU parental singing patient and family centered care |
| title | Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU |
| title_full | Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU |
| title_fullStr | Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU |
| title_short | Parental singing during kangaroo care: parents' experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the NICU |
| title_sort | parental singing during kangaroo care parents experiences of singing to their preterm infant in the nicu |
| topic | emotional attachment kangaroo care music therapy NICU parental singing patient and family centered care |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440905/full |
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