EFEKTIVITAS INFANT CALMING MASSAGE TERHADAP KUALITAS TIDUR, REGULASI STRES DAN SELF-SOOTHING BEHAVIOR BAYI PASCA BENCANA

Abstract

Infants represent a vulnerable group in post-disaster situations because environmental changes, noise, disrupted caregiving routines, and family stress can interfere with emotional regulation and sleep patterns. Infant Calming Massage (ICM) has potential as a non-pharmacological intervention that can be performed by mothers. This study aims to evaluate changes in sleep indicators following the implementation of ICM, describe stress regulation and self-soothing behavior conditions, and design an ICM intervention model recommended for post-disaster child healthcare services. This quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest study involved 32 infants aged 0–12 months in Muara Batang Angkola Village. ICM was administered for 15 minutes, 3–5 times per week over 4 weeks. Data were analyzed descriptively, along with reliability testing, Shapiro-Wilk, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, and paired t-tests. The results indicated that following ICM implementation, nighttime sleep duration increased from 8.33 hours to 9.89 hours, with waking frequency decreasing from 2.96 times to 0.57 times. Furthermore, sleep latency decreased from 24.71 minutes to 8.37 minutes. All changes were statistically significant (p<0.001) with large effect sizes. ICM shows potential to improve sleep quality and continuity in post-disaster infants. The designed ICM model encompasses screening, education, routine massage, and monitoring and evaluation as a supportive intervention at integrated health posts (Posyandu) and community health centers (Puskesmas).