Multimodal Intervention of Music Therapy (MIM)

The Multimodal Intervention of Music Therapy (MIM) is intended for the mother-premature baby dyad in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), to provide support for the mother-baby interaction, individually monitoring each dyad, transmitting security to the mother and taking into account her own time and form of interaction. This intervention focuses on supporting the mother’s voice and touch in the interaction with the baby and proposes that the music therapist be with the mother in the emotional experience.

The MIM is inspired by several studies and interventions in the context of prematurity and NICU. Among them are studies that highlight the importance of family-centered care, promoting improvements in parents’ mental health and involvement in the care of premature babies in the NICU, so that fathers and mothers have a greater role in the care of the newborn, and that they play an active role in providing emotional, social and developmental support to the baby. Furthermore, it is guided by studies on communicative musicality and multimodal interaction, which show the musical characteristics of mother-infant interaction, such as repetitiveness, synchrony, and predictability, also included in interactions between premature dyads. The MIM is also supported by studies that show the clinical applications of early maternal vocal contact, through speech and singing directed at premature babies, and which are shown to be relevant in the physiological and behavioral stabilization of babies, in addition to bringing benefits to maternal mental health. It is also supported by studies that show the importance of maternal singing for premature babies in the NICU and the need for support and monitoring of the mother in the use of this vocal modality, especially due to the differentiated support offered by music therapy professionals.

Studies on MIM are currently ongoing in Brazil. For more information, please contact researcher Natália B. Damiani (mtnataliadamiani@gmail.com).