Effect of Massage Therapy on Growth Parameters of Instituted Infants

마사지 요법이 시설 영아의 신체성장에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of massage therapy on weight gain, length and head circumference in instituted infants. This study utilized nonequivalent control group with repeated measuring by quasi experimental design. Fifty eight instituted infants in Daejeon city were selected for the study. Fifty eight infants were randomly assigned two groups, one served as the control group and the other was experimental group to whom massage therapy was given. For the experimental group, massage protocol(developed by Field, 1986) was applied 2 times a day, mid-morning and early evening, for 4 weeks for each infants by researcher and trained research assistants. As a weight weighing instrument, electronic indicator scale (Cas Co., Korea) was used. The result of this study were summarized as follows; 1.A repeated measures ANOVA identified a significant group by time effect over the four weeks of intervention(F=14.69, p < .0001). Infants assigned to experimental group gained more weight than control group infants. 2. T-test identified that significant differences in length(t=2.60, P=.013) and head circumference(t=4.27, P=.000). Infants assigned to experimental group had more length and head circumference than control group infants. In conclusion, Massage therapy improved weight gain, length and head circumference of instituted infants. Therefore, it is recommended to utilize massage therapy as a nursing intervention for instituted infants.