A University of Houston psychologist has received a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to lead the first randomized clinical trial evaluating whether a remotely delivered parenting program can improve healthy infant brain development and support long-term mental health outcomes for babies born prematurely, according to a July 29 announcement.
Researchers will examine if providing parents with web-based support during the critical weeks and months after premature infants leave the hospital strengthens early brain development linked to emotional and mental health. The study addresses concerns as more than one in ten babies are born prematurely each year in the United States, with Texas reporting some of the highest rates of preterm birth in the country. The rate of mental health disorders among youth and adults born preterm is rising, which poses substantial burdens on individuals, families, and society.
While advances in neonatal medicine have improved survival rates for premature infants, these children remain at greater risk for developmental and mental health disorders. The new intervention aims to transform how families receive support after discharge from neonatal intensive care units by bringing evidence-based resources into homes through scalable online programs. This research aligns with UH Health's mission to advance innovative solutions that improve health outcomes and reduce disparities among vulnerable populations.
Johanna Bick, associate professor of psychology and director of the Laboratory of Early Experience and Development at UH, will lead this trial involving a remotely delivered version of Play and Learning Strategies (PALS), an evidence-based parenting program adapted for parents of prematurely born infants. PALS is designed to strengthen parent-child bonds while stimulating early cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.
Many effective parenting programs currently end when babies leave neonatal intensive care units, missing what researchers describe as "a critical period when parents need support most," as babies' brains develop rapidly. Because this new program is delivered online, it has potential reach regardless of location while engaging multiple caregivers during this important time.
Parents or caretakers participating in the study will be randomly assigned either to the remotely delivered PALS program or a comparison group. Researchers plan to evaluate how participation affects parental responsiveness; infant social-emotional development; emotion regulation; and brain development using behavioral assessments along with advanced neuroimaging and neurophysiological measures.
