Although evidence is available about preterm newborns’ spontaneous behavioral repertoire during the first weeks of life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), studies on infant behavioral responses to external social stimuli are scarce. The main aim of this study was to analyze preterm infant behaviors in response to the maternal voice, speaking or singing, in the NICU, compared with a control condition when the mother was not present. We hypothesized that the infants’ self-touch, eye-opening, and oral behaviors would increase in the singing and speaking conditions. The neonates’ behavior was video recorded and then coded by using the System for Coding Perinatal Behavior. Preterm newborns showed increased self-touch and eye-opening behaviors during maternal-directed speech and songs in the NICU. Oral movements were modulated differently by the singing and speaking conditions: the singing condition was specifically associated with infants’ rhythmical sucking behaviors and smiles, whereas maternal speech was associated with non-rhythmical mouth movements. In both speaking and singing conditions, yawning occurred more frequently than in the control condition. The findings of this pilot study suggest that preterm newborns from 32 weeks’ postmenstrual age respond to social and contingent stimuli with a general activation of self-touch and eye-opening behaviors. However, they respond to live maternal speech versus songs by showing different oral behaviors. The differential responses and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

中文翻译：

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早产新生儿的现场母性言语和歌唱增加了自我触觉和睁眼的能力：一项初步研究

尽管有证据表明新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）在生命的最初几周内早产儿具有自发性行为，但关于婴儿对外部社交刺激的行为反应的研究却很少。这项研究的主要目的是分析新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）对母亲声音，说话或唱歌的早产婴儿行为，与没有母亲时的对照情况进行比较。我们假设婴儿的自我触觉，睁眼和口头行为会在唱歌和说话条件下增加。记录新生儿的行为，然后使用围产期行为编码系统对新生儿进行编码。早产儿在新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）进行由母亲指导的语音和歌曲时表现出增加的自触和睁眼行为。口头运动受唱歌和说话条件的调节不同：唱歌条件与婴儿的节律性吮吸行为和微笑特别相关，而母亲的言语与非节律性的嘴巴运动相关。在说话和唱歌条件下，打哈欠的频率均比控制条件下的频率高。这项前瞻性研究的结果表明，月经后32周的早产儿对社交和偶发性刺激有反应，并普遍激活了自我触摸和睁眼的行为。但是，他们通过表现出不同的口头行为来回应现场的母亲讲话与歌曲。讨论了发现的差异反应和临床意义。唱歌的状态与婴儿的节律性吮吸行为和微笑特别相关，而母亲的言语与非节律性的嘴巴运动有关。在说话和唱歌条件下，打哈欠的频率均比控制条件下的频率高。这项前瞻性研究的结果表明，月经后32周的早产儿对社交和偶发性刺激有反应，并普遍激活了自我触摸和睁眼的行为。但是，他们通过表现出不同的口头行为来回应现场的母亲讲话与歌曲。讨论了发现的差异反应和临床意义。唱歌的状态与婴儿的节律性吮吸行为和微笑特别相关，而母亲的言语与非节律性的嘴巴运动有关。在说话和唱歌条件下，打哈欠的频率均比控制条件下的频率高。这项前瞻性研究的结果表明，月经后32周的早产儿对社交和偶发性刺激有反应，并普遍激活了自我触摸和睁眼的行为。但是，他们通过表现出不同的口头行为来回应现场的母亲讲话与歌曲。讨论了发现的差异反应和临床意义。打呵欠的发生率比对照组高。这项前瞻性研究的结果表明，月经后32周的早产儿对社交和偶发性刺激有反应，并普遍激活了自我触摸和睁眼的行为。但是，他们通过表现出不同的口头行为来回应现场的母亲讲话与歌曲。讨论了发现的差异反应和临床意义。打呵欠的发生率比对照组高。这项前瞻性研究的结果表明，月经后32周的早产儿对社交和偶发性刺激有反应，并普遍激活了自我触摸和睁眼的行为。但是，他们通过表现出不同的口头行为来回应现场的母亲讲话与歌曲。讨论了发现的差异反应和临床意义。