This study explored the effectiveness of educational materials to change the knowledge and behavior about crying and shaken baby syndrome among a sample of Japanese mothers.
Findings from the study on the effectiveness of educational materials for new mothers include the following: mothers who received the educational materials scored higher on crying knowledge scales compared to those in the control group, while no significant difference was found between the two groups regarding knowledge about shaken baby syndrome; mothers who received educational materials exhibited higher levels of information sharing behavior with other caregivers compared to mothers in the control group; and mothers in the intervention group were 4.8 times more likely to walk away when an infant cried unsoothably compared to mothers in the control group. This study explored the effectiveness of educational materials, specifically the Period of PURPLE Crying prevention materials, to change the knowledge and behavior about crying and shaken baby syndrome among a sample of Japanese mothers. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of mothers (n=201 - intervention: 105, control: 96) recruited from 2 hospitals in the greater Tokyo area in Japan. The mothers completed a 4-day behavioral diary at 6 weeks after the birth of their child, and then participated in a structured telephone survey at 2-months past the birth of their child. Data from the diary and the survey were analyzed to determine whether mothers who received the PURPLE materials had lower rates of child maltreatment compared to mothers in the control group. The findings from the study indicate that the PURPLE materials could be effective at reducing the incidence of child maltreatment in Japan towards crying, unsoothable infants. Study limitations are discussed. Figure, tables, and references