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Abstract

29 parent-infant pairs in early motor experience programs were studied to determine whether such programs influence motor development and movement comfortableness of the infant aged 6 to 18 mo. Infants were randomly assigned to one of five groups: Water-Water, Land-Land, Land-Water, Water-Land, or Control. Activity groups met in 20-min. sessions twice per week for 7 wk. Analysis of covariance of pre- and posttest scores on the Bayley Motor Scale assessed effects of the programs on motor development. Movement comfortableness was assessed by live observation by trained coders (four times during the study) who performed interval recording of six selected behaviors. Analysis of variance compared activity groups. Findings of both the analyses and of general descriptive analysis are discussed.

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Effects of Water and Land in Early Experience Programs on the Motor Development and Movement Comfortableness of Infants Aged 6 to 18 MO

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