Mercer-Based Holistic Infant Massage, Maternal Self-Efficacy, Mother–Infant Bonding, and Reported Symptom-Resolution Duration in Infants with Common Cold

Abstract

Common cold may cause discomfort and increased caregiving demands. Because infants depend on caregivers for symptom monitoring and supportive care, maternal self-efficacy and mother–infant bonding are relevant to care. A holistic infant massage program based on Mercer’s Maternal Role Attainment Theory may support maternal caregiving competence. To examine the association of the program with maternal self-efficacy, mother–infant bonding, and reported symptom-resolution duration in infants aged 0–6 months with mild common cold. This quasi-experimental, non-randomized pretest–posttest control-group study involved 40 mother–infant dyads in North Lombok, Indonesia. The researcher assigned 20 dyads to intervention and 20 to control. The intervention comprised education, supervised practice, emotional support, and home massage for 15–20 minutes daily for 7 days. Psychosocial outcomes were analyzed using change scores and baseline-adjusted ANCOVA; symptom-resolution duration used the Mann–Whitney U test. The results indicated that MSES increased more in the intervention group than controls (change difference 15.08 points, 95% CI 12.14–18.02; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 3.29), with an ANCOVA-adjusted difference of 16.997 points (95% CI 14.551–19.444; p < 0.001). MIBS decreased by 5.70 ± 1.75 versus 1.80 ± 1.10 points (difference −3.90; 95% CI −4.83 to −2.97; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = −2.67). Median reported symptom-resolution duration was 3.55 versus 5.50 days (U = 1.0; p < 0.001; r = 0.61). In conclusion, the program was associated with substantial improvements in maternal self-efficacy and mother–infant bonding. Symptom-resolution findings are secondary and exploratory because allocation was non-randomized, assessment was unblinded, and baseline illness severity and duration were not collected.