Colic Crib Testing

Abstract

This master thesis is a continuation of the previously performed study Colic Crib Design and Testing (Eri & Mevåg, 2013) . Both the master thesis and the study have been conducted in order to establish the first phases of a research project with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of a cradle, ColiCot, customised for relieving the discomfort infants with colic experience. In the previously performed study, sleep was identified as an indicator for measuring the effectiveness of the cradle, and the most optimal combination of measurement methods for indication of infant sleep were identified. In this master thesis, the next phase of the research project is described, namely evaluation of the usefulness of the different measurement methods.In the planning of the ColiCot research study, aspects involving ethical and legal considerations, test design, recruitment and testing of measurement methods have been important. Regarding the ethical and legal considerations, a vital factor has been application of ethical approval from the Committees for Medical and Health Research (REC) to conduct a pilot study. This process has been time-consuming, and the final approval was not yet obtained within the time frame of this master thesis. The study required a feasible test design capable of providing valid results. Therefore, identifying the most suitable study design, and determining several elements within it, was essential. The main elements established in the selected test design included the following: The type of study design: Crossover design with blocked randomisation Inclusion and exclusion criteria for participating in the studyIn order to obtain a sufficient number of participants in the pilot test, a thorough planning of recruitment was needed. This involved, among others, designing templates for a flyer and poster for distribution on key locations in Trondheim. The measurement methods were tested in order to investigate the validity, the ease of use, purposiveness, range, feasibility and management of the data output. Through testing, we were able to establish intervals, which determined the infant s calm/crying pattern, and thereby identify measurement methods considered optimal for the study s purpose.