Resilience, Mother-Infant Contact Barriers and Perinatal PTSD Symptoms in Maternal Attachment and Bonding: A Multi-Group Path Model in Mothers of Preterm and Full-Term Babies

Abstract

Problem: It is important to evaluate the factors that influence the association between attachment and bonding. Background: Limited studies have examined the role of a variety of variables in the quality of the mother–infant bond. Aim: To investigate the roles of perinatal post-traumatic stress symptoms, psychological resilience, and mother–infant contact barriers. Methods: 206 Turkish mothers of preterm babies and 446 mothers of full-term babies were recruited between March 2018 and April 2019. A multiple-path analysis was implemented. Findings: Parental attachment was positively associated with psychological resilience and negatively associated with mother–infant contact barriers and perinatal post-traumatic stress symptoms. Psychological resilience was positively associated with maternal bonding. In the preterm group, there was no significant association between mother–infant contact barriers and maternal bonding, whereas perinatal post-traumatic stress symptoms and maternal bonding were positively associated. In the full-term group, mother–infant contact barriers and maternal bonding were negatively associated, whereas there was no significant association between perinatal post-traumatic stress symptoms and maternal bonding. Psychological resilience and perinatal post-traumatic stress were mediators between parental attachment and maternal bonding in the preterm group, whereas psychological resilience and mother–infant contact barriers were mediators between parental attachment and maternal bonding in the full-term group. The relationship between psychological resilience and maternal bonding was significantly stronger in the preterm group, and the relationship between mother–infant contact barriers and maternal bonding was significantly stronger in the full-term group. Conclusion: Providing qualified attachment and bonding, mother–infant contact, lessening perinatal post-traumatic stress symptoms, and enhancing the psychological resilience are crucial.