Promoting mealtime communication between adolescent mothers and their infants through videotape.

OBJECTIVE: To use social learning theory to develop and examine the effectiveness of a 15-minute, culturally sensitive videotape in altering mealtime communication and attitudes among African-American adolescent mothers.
DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial with baseline and follow-up evaluations.
SETTING: High schools, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Clinics, and Family Support Centers serving low-income families. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-nine first-time, African-American adolescent mothers of infants. INTERVENTION: Intervention group viewed and received a copy of a videotape titled "Feeding Your Baby With Love." The messages, title, music, and setting were designed by an advisory group of six African-American adolescent mothers who were filmed feeding their infants in their homes. MEASUREMENTS AND
RESULTS: During baseline and follow-up evaluations, mothers were videotaped feeding their baby and completed a questionnaire on attitudes toward mealtime behavior. Analysis of covariance with repeated measures indicated changes in both behavior and attitudes. At follow-up, intervention mothers were more involved with their infant and reported more favorable attitudes toward feeding and communication than control mothers.
CONCLUSIONS: Brief culturally sensitive videotapes may be effective strategies to promote parenting skills and to prevent social and health problems among adolescents.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes