Background: Premature neonates are a group of high-risk patients who need intensive medical care and hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for their survival. In the NICU environment, there are highly stressful stimuli that have a negative effect on the physiological parameters of premature neonates. One of the interventions that improve the physiological parameters of neonates is the implementation of the quiet time protocol. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the quiet time protocol intervention on the physiological parameters of premature neonates admitted to the NICU. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 62 premature neonates selected through a convenient sampling method out of the neonates admitted to the NICU. First, the samples of the control group were collected. A demographic data questionnaire was employed. Neonates in the two groups were examined for 60 min during three phases before, during, and after the intervention in the evening shift of 15 - 17 o’clock. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22 by the chi-squared test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t-test. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results of repeated measures ANOVA regarding arterial blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) percentage showed that changes over time were significant (P < 0.001). There was also a significant difference between the groups in terms of intervention effect (P = 0.004). In other words, the changes in SaO2 percentage were not the same in the two groups, and the changes in the score of the intervention group were higher than the control group. The results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that the changes in the heart rate and respiratory rate over time were significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The quiet time protocol is effective in reducing environmental stimuli and improving physiological parameters. Therefore, the implementation of these procedures during each 8-hour shift, which includes a specific period which light, sound, and bedside stimulation is controllably reduced, is recommended as a standard of care to reduce stress and improve the growth and development of premature neonates in the NICU.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders that has recently been increasingly considered by psychologists and researchers. Due to its nature, this disorder also affects on mental health of parents, in addition to the child's health. Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of group interventions based on parent-child relationship on promoting the mental health of parents of children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, aged 6-11 years. Methodology: In a quasi-experimental study using pre-test and post-test design with three experimental groups of pharmacotherapy, combined (pharmacotherapy and family-oriented intervention) and family-oriented, mothers of 30 children with ADHD disorder were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method; these subjects were randomly selected from the educational districts of Tehran. The combined and family-oriented groups were trained in a parent-child relationship group for 10 sessions and the drug therapy group received only medication. All subjects were evaluated by Mental Health Scale in two stages (before intervention and after intervention). Data was analyzed using covariance analysis. Findings: The results showed that the implementation of educational program based on parent-child relationship resulted in a significant increase in the mental health of parents of children with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder in the combined and family-oriented groups. Conclusion: Interventions based on parent-child relationship with pharmacotherapy (combined method) are effective in increasing the mental health of parents of children with hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disability; therefore it is suggested that therapists use this method to help this group.

Background: Weight is one of the main indicators of physical growth and brain development in infants, especially preterm infants. Feeding preterm infants is an ongoing challenge for those in charge of feeding infants, especially those with very low birth weights. Feeding difficulties in premature infants lead to long hospital stays and increased costs. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of cup feeding and finger feeding techniques on weight gain in premature infants. Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 90 premature infants with an average weight of 1784.3 ± 497 g admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Ali Bin Abi Talib (AS) Hospital located in Zahedan, the southeast of Iran, in 2021. The infants were randomly divided into 3 groups: Cup feeding, finger feeding, and control groups (each with 30 infants). The intervention was performed for 3 consecutive days without interruption, even on holidays for each infant. The amount and frequency of feeding each infant depended on the birth weight and the diagnosis of a specialist. The infant’s weight was recorded before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 using analysis of variance (ANOVA), paired-samples t-test, and chi-square test. Results: The average weight of infants significantly increased in the cup feeding (P < 0.01) and finger feeding (P < 0.01) groups compared with the control group. The highest weight gain was recorded in the finger feeding group (109.55 g), followed by the cup feeding group (65.8 g) and the control group (31.1 g; P = 0.001). The ANOVA results suggested that the finger feeding technique was most effective in gaining weight and achieving independent oral feeding in premature infants.