Linda Gilkerson

Family administered neonatal activities: An exploratory method for the integration of parental perceptions and newborn behavior

This article presents the theoretical basis, clinical model, and case illustrations of the Family Administered Neonatal Activities (FANA), a specialized application of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (Brazelton, 1973), in which parents are guided in eliciting behaviors from their infant within the context of a specific clinical protocol that integrates the practices of short-term, psychotherapeutic interviewing with principles of an empowerment model. The protocol is designed to elicit from parents their initial perceptions of their newborn and then to use the behavior of the baby as the vehicle through which parents can affirm or challenge their initial perceptions. Case examples illustrate the use of the FANA for three purposes: family support, intervention, and assessment.

The Mentoring FAN: A Promising Approach to Enhancing Attunement within the Mentoring System

ABSTRACT Youth mentoring is a popular tool in positive youth development, with most programs utilizing a model through which youth and non-parental adults are “matched.” Using an adaptation of the Facilitating Attuned Interactions framework, this study sought to explore the effectiveness of the Mentoring FAN in enhancing interpersonal attunement among mentoring staff at two youth mentoring programs in the U.S. Upon completion of the Mentoring FAN training, quantitative (n = 28) and qualitative (n = 15) data were collected from program staff at both sites. Open-ended data from a subset of mentors (n = 27) was also gathered. Results revealed that mentoring staff experienced significant increases in empathy following the Mentoring FAN intervention. Participant interviews revealed increased attunement, increased listening ability, and increased collaboration in the supervisory relationship. Findings support the continued delivery and rigorous testing of Mentoring FAN training, with great promise for enhancing attunement across the mentoring system as a means of strengthening the relationships so critical to this intervention. The study also has important implications for the development of mentor support practices within mentoring organizations, as well as policies designed to meet the needs of youth served by mentoring programs in the U.S.