Early Intervention Program for Adolescent Mothers Meets HHS Criteria

Implementation support is not currently available for the model as reviewed.

Model effectiveness research report last updated: 2011

Model overview

Theoretical approach

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) for Adolescent Mothers was designed to help young mothers gain social competence and achieve model objectives by teaching self-management skills, techniques for coping with stress and depression, and skills to communicate effectively with partners, family, peers, and social agencies. View Revisions

Model services

Nurse home visitors delivered EIP services using a case management approach. During home visits, nurse home visitors covered five main content areas: (1) health, (2) sexuality and family planning, (3) maternal role, (4) life skills, and (5) social support.

Prenatal visits focused on the use of prenatal health care, preparation for childbirth, and self-care during pregnancy. In addition, nurse home visitors conducted four classes focusing on the transition to motherhood, fetal development, parent-child communication, and maternal health.

During the postpartum visits, nurse home visitors provided mothers with information on family planning; infant care and development; well-baby health care; education attainment; substance use; mental health issues, such as handling emotions; and referrals for mental health counseling, family planning, and child care. For example, EIP addressed the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV/AIDs), contraceptive options, school readiness preparations (such as reading to children), and prevention of lead poisoning. Nurse home visitors also helped mothers improve communication skills and learn how to assess their infants’ needs, respond to infant distress, and interact reciprocally with their infants. To help mothers improve their infant interaction and nurturing skills, nurse home visitors used videotherapy, in which they videotaped a mother interacting with her infant and subsequently solicited the mother’s opinion about the quality of the interaction.

Nurse home visitors implemented all aspects of the model using standardized protocols to ensure uniformity. The EIP protocols were organized based on the nursing process and covered each of five content areas. Examples of worksheets used to facilitate learning and behavior change included “Psychological Aspects of Appetite and Food,” “Danger Signals During Pregnancy,” “Prenatal Rest, Exercise, and Activity,” and “I Want to Change.” Another worksheet (called “What Do I Do?”) was used when the mother needed help solving a problem. Protocols incorporated several teaching techniques, such as examining educational and vocational goals and options, completing problem-solving worksheets, and letter writing.

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Intended population

EIP served pregnant adolescents from underserved minority groups who were referred to the county health department or another health services agency for nursing care. Women were eligible for EIP if they were 14 to 19 years old; at 26 weeks gestation or less; pregnant with their first child; and planning to keep the infant. Expectant mothers who were chemically dependent or had serious medical or obstetric problems were ineligible. Although EIP initially targeted adolescents, young mothers out of adolescence also may have benefited from the model. View Revisions

Where to find out more

Deborah Koniak-Griffin, EdD, RNC, FAAN
University of California at Los Angeles, School of Nursing
Box 956919
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 206-3842
Email:dkoniak@sonnet.ucla.edu

Inese Verzemnieks, PhD, RN
University of California at Los Angeles, School of Nursing
5-637 Factor Building
700 Tiverton Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095-6919
Phone: (310) 206-9165
Email: iverzemn@sonnet.ucla.edu

View Revisions