Trainings and use of the NBO with multidisciplinary home visitors and other clinicians

Brandt, K.  TRAINING AND USE OF THE NEWBORN BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION (NBO) WITH MULTIDISCIPLINARY HOME VISITORS & OTHER CLINICIANS. Presented at WAIMH, Edinburgh, 2014.

Abstract

Introduction: Newborn Behavioral Observation training provides clinicians of many disciplines with a foundation for: 1) understanding infant behavior; 2) using infant behavior as a means of expanding their relationship with parents; 3) becoming comfortable and competent in interacting with and observing newborns; and, 4) developing and using this interdisciplinary strategy.

Method: Regardless of discipline, clinicians working with families and their newborns have a unique opportunity to interface with parents when the family's system and relationships are open and changing, and opportunities exist for supporting both functional family relationships and a strong parent-provider working alliance. Whether trainees meet families in hospitals, clinics, private offices, or home visits, the NBO's 18 neurobehavioral observations can enhance engagement around the baby's capacities and mutual exploration of caregiving patterns that may best meet the baby's developmental needs. The exceptional venue that home visitors have for serial NBO use in the family's natural context will be discussed.

Results: Over 400 providers have been NBO trained in Napa, CA since 2004. Trainees represent over 16 disciplines in settings that include public agencies, clinics, hospitals, non-profit entities, home visiting programs, private practice, early care, early intervention, colleges/universities, and more. Such interdisciplinary and context diverse training requires attention to learning levels, history of newborn contact, comfort observing and handling newborns, variation in provider roles with families, and varying scopes of practice. Clinical support in use of the NBO among two subgroups of the trainees, including a group of home visitors, will be described along with training evaluation ratings from trainees.

Conclusions: The NBO is a pan-disciplinary therapeutic strategy for supporting functional family relationships, parent-provider alliance, and parental caregiving patterns that meet the baby's unique developmental needs. Training and use can be accomplished with fidelity and with high levels of trainee satisfaction within groups from diverse disciplines and practice settings.