Presidential address: Early parent-infant interaction and mental health.

Abstract

The importance and meaning of early mother-infant interaction and their possible connection with developmental psychopathology and child psychiatry practice are presented. In an experimental study healthy mothers and their infants were kept together immediately after delivery instead of separating them. Correlation was found between early interactive behavior and later outcome measurements. Other effects of early contact were evaluated with the help of interviews, questionnaires, developmental screening, analyses of videotapes, and are discussed. In another study the outcome of a longitudinal, prospective 30-year follow-up on a group of former infant-patients at the Child Guidance Clinics in Stockholm was the subject of investigation. A major finding was that some 60% of this very young population suffered from a number of serious difficulties and problems later on, which is not very encouraging.