Korean J Child Health Nurs.  2005 Oct;11(4):481-489.

Effect of Yakson Therapy on Weight Gain in Premature Infants and Role Confidence and Satisfaction for Mothers

• Im HS
• Park ES
• Kim MH
• Kim ES
• Choi YO

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on weight of premature infants when Yakson therapy was conducted by mothers and also to measure role confidence and role satisfaction of the mothers. METHOD: A non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design was used. The data were collected from January to July, 2005. Thirty preterm infants and mothers were assigned to either an experimental (15) or a control group (15). Yakson therapy consists of three phases: laying on of hands, caressing by hands, and laying on of hands again, each phase taking 5 minutes. Yakson therapy was provided to infants in the experimental group for 15-minutes 5 times a day for 15 days. Infant weight, mothers' role confidence and satisfaction with role were measured for both groups.
RESULTS
Compared to the control group, weight gain of infants in the experimental group (t=2.05, p=.049) was significantly increased after 15 days. The experimental group also had significantly higher scores in mothers' role confidence (t=1.98, p=.038).
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that Yakson therapy can be used to increase weight gain in preterm infants and improve the role confidence of mothers.

MeSH Terms

Hand
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Mothers*
Weight Gain*
Child Health