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Adhikary S, Gillespie K, Kimball H, Healey L, Webb O, Balram A, Branjerdporn G. A systematic review of research examining mothers, infants, family and staff in psychiatric mother-baby units. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2024. [PMID: 38958035 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This systematic review aimed to summarise and synthesise research conducted in psychiatric mother-baby units (MBUs) in relation to patients, their families, or staff, published from 1st January 2016 to 1st May 2024. METHOD Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies were included for review if they were published in peer-review journals in English and reported research on MBUs between January 2016 and May 2024. From the initial yield of 10,007 unique studies, 53 studies were included for review. RESULTS MBU research was found to more frequently investigate maternal characteristics rather than the benefits of MBU treatment compared to studies conducted prior to 2016. Most studies that did investigate impact of admission showed favourable results, however few follow-up studies and studies comparing MBU outcomes to other clinical settings were undertaken. Little research has been conducted to investigate the differential impacts of MBU admission on different diagnoses and long-term (>1 year) patient outcomes. There was a dearth of research investigating partners of women in MBUs and few studies conducted on infant outcomes. CONCLUSIONS MBUs were consistently found to improve mental health systems and mother-infant attachment in patients after admission. More research investigating patient support networks and child health, impact of diagnosis on outcomes, and studies with adequate follow-up are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Adhikary
- Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Catherine's House for Mothers, Babies and Families, Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kerri Gillespie
- Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Catherine's House for Mothers, Babies and Families, Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hayley Kimball
- Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Catherine's House for Mothers, Babies and Families, Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lyndall Healey
- Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Olivia Webb
- Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Abha Balram
- Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Grace Branjerdporn
- Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Catherine's House for Mothers, Babies and Families, Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Australia
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Zitzmann J, Rombold-George L, Rosenbach C, Renneberg B. Emotion Regulation, Parenting, and Psychopathology: A Systematic Review. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2024; 27:1-22. [PMID: 37704867 PMCID: PMC10920465 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00452-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The presence of a parental mental disorder can lead to adverse outcomes for children. Difficulties in emotion regulation are observed across a range of mental health problems and may play a crucial role in this context. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science for studies examining the association between emotion regulation in parents with psychopathology at a clinical or subclinical level and their parenting. The protocol was registered with the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42021224954; January 2021). A total of 23 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Emotion regulation was predominantly assessed using self-report on the general ability (e.g., Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale). The assessment of parenting encompassed a broad range of aspects and operationalizations. Across psychopathology in parents, several aspects of difficulties in emotion regulation were associated with unfavorable emotion socialization, more negative parenting, and partially with less positive parenting. Slightly different effects were observed for posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders. For parents with depressive disorders, specific emotion regulation strategies (suppression, reappraisal) seem to buffer against negative parenting. Since the majority of studies refer only to mothers, generalization to fathers is limited. Furthermore, conclusions are limited due to study heterogeneity and lack of prospective studies. Nevertheless, findings suggest that interventions should target the improvement of emotion regulation in parents with psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Zitzmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Larissa Rombold-George
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Rosenbach
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Babette Renneberg
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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Vagos P, Mateus V, Silva J, Araújo V, Xavier A, Palmeira L. Mother-infant bonding in the first nine months postpartum: the role of mother's attachment style and psychological flexibility. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2023:1-15. [PMID: 37525320 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2023.2242379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mother's bond to the infant in the postpartum period plays an important role in the subsequent mother-infant relationship and the infant's socio-emotional functioning. Several maternal characteristics, such as attachment style and psychological flexibility, may contribute to the quality of mother-infant bonding, though literature examining these variables is still scarce. The present study aimed to examine the impact of mother's attachment on mother-infant bonding in the first month postpartum and the mediating role of psychological flexibility on that association. METHODS Participants were 226 mothers of an infant up to 9 months old, who reported on their own attachment style (in terms of anxiety, comfort with proximity, trust in others), psychological flexibility (in terms of openness to experience, behavioural awareness, valued action) and mother-infant bonding. RESULTS Results showed that mother's attachment anxiety predicted a bond with the infant directly and indirectly via mother's psychological flexibility, specifically through behavioural awareness and valued action. Trust in others had an impact on mother-infant bonding through behavioural awareness, whereas comfort with proximity influenced mother-infant bond indirectly, via valued action. Finally, mothers' civil status, schooling and number of children were relevant to better understand the variance of our mediating and dependent variables. DISCUSSION Our findings highlight the importance of mother's attachment and psychological flexibility in promoting the quality of mother-infant bonding, which can inform future intervention programmes targeting modifiable factors, such as psychological flexibility, to promote early positive parent-infant relationships, particularly for single, first-time mothers, with higher levels of education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Vagos
- Portucalense Institute for Psychology (I2P), Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
- William James Center for Research, Department of Education and Psychology, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioural Intervention, (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vera Mateus
- Portucalense Institute for Psychology (I2P), Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioural Intervention, (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Silva
- Portucalense Institute for Psychology (I2P), Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vânia Araújo
- Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Xavier
- Portucalense Institute for Psychology (I2P), Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioural Intervention, (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lara Palmeira
- Portucalense Institute for Psychology (I2P), Department of Psychology and Education, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioural Intervention, (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Barrett EN, Frey BN, Streiner DL, Agako A, Inness BE, Furtado M, Caropreso L, Green SM. Psychometric properties of the difficulties in emotion regulation Scale in a perinatal sample. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2023:1-20. [PMID: 37342964 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2023.2227648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One in five pregnant and postpartum individuals experience an anxiety, depressive, and/or trauma-related disorder. Emotion dysregulation (ED) underlies the development and maintenance of various mental health disorders. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is the most comprehensive and commonly used measure of emotion dysregulation, yet limited evidence supports its use in the perinatal population. The present study aims to evaluate the validity of the DERS and its six subscales in a perinatal sample and to assess its predictive utility in identifying perinatal individuals with a disorder characterised by emotion dysregulation. METHODS Pregnant and postpartum individuals (N = 237) completed a diagnostic clinical interview and self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and perceived social support. RESULTS The DERS subscales demonstrated good internal consistency and construct validity, as it strongly correlated with measures of anxiety and depression and failed to correlate with a measure of perceived social support. Results from an exploratory factor analysis supported a 6-factor solution, suggesting structural validity. An ROC analysis revealed good to excellent discriminative ability for the DERS full scale and four of the subscales. Finally, an optimal clinical cut-off score of 87 or greater was established with a sensitivity of 81% for detecting a current anxiety, depressive, and/or trauma-related disorder. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence for the validity and clinical utility of the DERS in a treatment-seeking and community sample of pregnant and postpartum individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily N Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - David L Streiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Arela Agako
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Briar E Inness
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Melissa Furtado
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Luisa Caropreso
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sheryl M Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
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Ngai FW, Lam W. Predictors of Parent-Infant Bonding Among Postpartum Chinese Mothers and Fathers. J Midwifery Womens Health 2023; 68:117-124. [PMID: 36533775 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The emotional bond that parents feel with their child is a crucial determinant of the child's psychosocial well-being and future development. Few studies have evaluated the predictive roles of depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and family sense of coherence in the quality of parent-infant bonding for both parents during the perinatal period. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive effects of depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and family sense of coherence during pregnancy; changes thereof from pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum; and the partner's bond with the infant on the quality of parent-infant bonding at 6 weeks postpartum in Chinese mothers and fathers. METHODS This was a secondary analysis of data from an intervention study. A convenience sample of 231 Chinese childbearing couples was recruited from the antenatal clinics of public hospitals in Hong Kong. Parent-infant bonding, depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and family sense of coherence were measured using the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Family Sense of Coherence Scale during pregnancy and at 6 weeks postpartum. RESULTS The findings indicated that higher depressive symptoms during pregnancy and poor partner bonding with the infant were the major predictors of impaired parent-infant bonding at 6 weeks postpartum for both parents. Prenatal relationship satisfaction was not a significant predictor of parent-infant bonding at 6 weeks postpartum for either parent. Prenatal family sense of coherence was a strong predictor of parent-infant bonding for mothers but not for fathers. DISCUSSION The findings highlight the significant effects of depressive symptoms, family sense of coherence, and the partner's bond with the infant on parent-infant bonding during the perinatal period. Comprehensive early prenatal programs that promote parental well-being and strengthen family sense of coherence should be integrated into existing perinatal services to promote the quality of parent-infant bonding for both parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Wan Ngai
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Winsome Lam
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Wang C, La Barrie DL, Powers A, Stenson AF, van Rooij SJH, Stevens JS, Jovanovic T, Bradley B, McGee RE, Fani N. Associations of maternal emotion regulation with child white matter connectivity in Black American mother-child dyads. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22303. [PMID: 36282745 PMCID: PMC9608357 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Parental emotion regulation plays a major role in parent-child interactions, and in turn, neural plasticity in children, particularly during sensitive developmental periods. However, little is known about how parental emotion dysregulation is associated with variation in children's brain structure, which was the goal of this study. Forty-five Black American mother-child dyads were recruited from an intergenerational trauma study; emotion regulation in mothers and their children (age 8-13 years) was assessed. Diffusion-weighted images were collected in children; deterministic tractography was used to reconstruct pathways of relevance to emotion regulation. Metrics of white matter connectivity [fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD)] were extracted for pathways. Socio-economic variables were also included in statistical models. Maternal emotion dysregulation was the strongest predictor of child fornix MD (r = .35, p = .001), indicating that more severe emotion dysregulation in mothers corresponded with lower fornix connectivity in children. Maternal impulsivity was a strong predictor of child fornix MD (r = .51, p < .001). Maternal emotion dysregulation may adversely influence connectivity of the child.s fornix, a hippocampal-striatal pathway implicated in reward processes; these associations remained even after accounting for other socio-environmental factors. Dysregulated maternal emotions may uniquely impact children's adaptation to trauma/stress by affecting networks that support appetitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Abigail Powers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anais F Stenson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sanne J H van Rooij
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Robin E McGee
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Dragomir C, Popescu R, Bernad ES, Boia M, Iacob D, Dima MA, Laza R, Soldan N, Bernad BC, Semenescu AE, Dragomir I, Angelescu-Coptil CE, Nitu R, Craina M, Balaceanu-Stolnici C, Dehelean CA. The Influence of Maternal Psychological Manifestations on the Mother-Child Couple during the Early COVID-19 Pandemic in Two Hospitals in Timisoara, Romania. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2022; 58:medicina58111540. [PMID: 36363497 PMCID: PMC9695155 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58111540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Background and objectives: The postpartum maternal physical and psychological state played a fundamental role in the mother−child relationship at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to analyze the influence of maternal psychological manifestations on the mother−child couple through three objectives (briefly expressed): (I) Determination of the main acute and chronic conditions of newborns/infants. (II) Verification of the hypothesis of the existence of a link between the following neonatal variables: gestational age, birth weight, number of days of hospitalization, and specific neonatal therapies (oxygen, surfactant, and blood products’ transfusion). (III) Verification of the influence of postpartum maternal psychological status on the mother−child couple through three hypotheses. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two hospitals in Timișoara, Romania, between 1 March and 1 September 2020, and included 165 mothers and their 175 newborns. Mothers answered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Spielberger’s Inventory of State-Trait Anxiety, and the Collins and Read Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Results: (I) The acute and chronic pathology of the infants in the study group was polymorphic. (II) Large correlations were identified between the following infant variables: gestational age with birth weight, and number of hospitalization days with birth weight, gestational age, and use of blood product transfusion (all p < 0.001). (III) (1) State anxiety was the only significant predictor of number of hospitalization days (p = 0.037), number of acute disorders (p = 0.028), and number of infant chronic diseases (p = 0.037). (2) Maternal depressive symptoms were the only predictor of postpartum maternal attachment (p = 0.018). (3) Depressive symptoms, state, and trait anxiety were non-significant in all models studied (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Postpartum maternal physical and psychological state plays a fundamental role on the mother−child relationship in the new social and complex family conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Dragomir
- Doctoral School, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Roxana Popescu
- Department II—Microscopic Morphology, Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Biology, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- ANAPATMOL Research Center, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Correspondence: (R.P.); (E.S.B.); Tel.: +40-723-649-886 (R.P.); +40-745-395-220 (E.S.B.)
| | - Elena Silvia Bernad
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Obstetrics-Gynecology III, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Correspondence: (R.P.); (E.S.B.); Tel.: +40-723-649-886 (R.P.); +40-745-395-220 (E.S.B.)
| | - Marioara Boia
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Neonatology and Childcare, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Daniela Iacob
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Neonatology and Childcare, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- ‘Pius Brinzeu’ County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Liviu Rebreanu Bd., No. 156, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Mirabela Adina Dima
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Neonatology and Childcare, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- ‘Pius Brinzeu’ County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Liviu Rebreanu Bd., No. 156, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ruxandra Laza
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Disease, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Nicoleta Soldan
- ‘Francisc I. Rainer’ Anthropological Research Center, Romanian Academy, Eroii Sanitari Bd., No. 8, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Brenda-Cristiana Bernad
- Department VIII—Neurosciences, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alin Eugen Semenescu
- Department of Psychology, West University of Timisoara, Vasile Parvan Bd., No. 4, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
- Institute for Advanced Environmental Research (ICAM), West University of Timisoara, Vasile Parvan Bd., No. 4, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ion Dragomir
- Individual Family Medical Office, 207440 Ostroveni, Romania
| | | | - Razvan Nitu
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Obstetrics-Gynecology III, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Marius Craina
- Department XII—Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Obstetrics-Gynecology III, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Constantin Balaceanu-Stolnici
- Rumanian Academy, Calea Victoriei, No. 125, Sector 1, 010071 Bucharest, Romania
- ‘Francisc I. Rainer’ Institute of Anthropology, Romanian Academy, Eroii Sanitari Bd., No. 8, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristina Adriana Dehelean
- Department of Toxicology and Drug Industry, Faculty of Pharmacy, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- FARMATOX Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluation, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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Trombetta T, Giordano M, Santoniccolo F, Vismara L, Della Vedova AM, Rollè L. Pre-natal Attachment and Parent-To-Infant Attachment: A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:620942. [PMID: 33815204 PMCID: PMC8011495 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the perinatal period, the establishment of the attachment relationship with the fetus and subsequently with the real child is crucial for the parents' and the child's well-being. Coherently with the assumption that the attachment relationship starts to develop during pregnancy, this systematic review aims to analyze and systematize studies focused on the association between pre-natal attachment and parent-to-infant attachment, in order to clarify the emerging results and provide useful information for clinical purposes. Nineteen studies were included. Sixteen researches identified a positive relationship between pre-natal attachment and parent-to-infant attachment, and three articles highlighted a negative association between antenatal attachment and post-partum bonding disorders. These results were found both in women and men, in normative and at-risk pregnancies, adopting different assessment approaches (i.e., self-report measures, observations, and projective measures). However, only small or moderate associations were found. Future studies are needed to further confirm these findings across different populations (e.g., male samples, non-normative samples or samples in disadvantaged conditions) and with different methodological approaches (e.g., observational measures). Moreover, studies would be needed in order to clarify mechanisms through which pre-natal attachment influences parent-to-infant attachment, as well as protective and risk factors which intervene between these two variables.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maura Giordano
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Laura Vismara
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Luca Rollè
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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