Maternal Postnatal Attachment Research Articles

Perceived Parenting Stress Is Related to Cardiac Flexibility in Mothers: Data from the NorBaby Study.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an indicator of autonomic nervous system activity, and high levels of stress and/or depressive symptoms may reduce HRV. Here, we assessed whether (a) parental stress affected HRV in mothers during the perinatal period and whether this is mediated by bonding and (b) whether antenatal maternal mental states, specifically repetitive negative thinking, depressive symptoms, and pregnancy-related anxiety, have an impact on infant HRV, and lastly, we investigated (c) the relationship between maternal HRV and infant HRV. Data are from the Northern Babies Longitudinal Study (NorBaby). In 111 parent-infant pairs, cardiac data were collected 6 months after birth. In the antenatal period, we used the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire; in the postnatal period, we used the Parenting Stress Index and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale. Higher levels of perceived parenting stress but not depressive symptoms were associated with lower HRV in mothers (τ = -0.146), and this relationship was not mediated by maternal bonding. Antenatal maternal mental states were not associated with infant HRV. There was no significant correlation between maternal HRV and infant HRV. Our observational data suggest that perceived stress reduces cardiac flexibility. Future studies should measure HRV and parenting stress repeatedly during the perinatal period.

# 125 - - Maternal reflective functioning and attachment outcomes of an online s inging intervention for postnatal depression: SHAPER-PNDO, a s ingle-arm clinical trial

Parental reflective functioning (PRF), or mentalization, is critical for offspring development. Postnatal depression (PND) may negatively impact this ability, resulting into impairments in menta liza tion and reduced attachment to the child. The aim of present work is s tudying the effectiveness of 6-weeks online s inging interventions, Melodies for Mums (M4M), in improving PRF and attachment to the child in a group of mothers suffering from PND.37 mothers were recruited. Demographic characteristics were collected at base line. At base line, week 6, and week 32 PND was evaluated with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); mentalization was assessed using the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) focusing on pre-menta lizing (PM) subsca le; maternal attachment to the child eva lua ted with the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS).Participants experienced s ignifica nt reductions in depression on the EPDS (16.6 ± 3.7 to 11.2 ± 5.3, p<.001, t (36) = 7.56, p <.001), showed a reduction of PM scores on the PRFQ (2.24 ± 0.66 to 1.86 ± 0.71, (t(34)=3.889, p<0.001)), and reported improvements in attachment scores on MPAS (66.89 ± 10.11 to 73.73 ± 7.57, t(33)= -3.735, p<0.001). Overall, there was a s ignificant effect of time across the s tudy, such that a total decline in EPDS (F(4,144) = 24.48, p <.001) and PM scores (F(2,148) = 13.315 (p<0.001), and increase of attachment scores (F(2,66) = 15.785 (p<0.001).Participating in M4M online may help mothers in reduction of depressive symptoms and also improve mentalization and bonding towards their infants.

The effect of perceived social support on postpartum stress: the mediating roles of marital satisfaction and maternal postnatal attachment

BackgroundMultiple factors may be responsible for the development of postpartum stress, including perceived social support, marital satisfaction, and maternal postnatal attachment. However, the underlying mediation mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the complex relationships between perceived social support and postpartum stress among Chinese women.MethodsA convenience sample comprising 406 postpartum women was recruited from six hospitals in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China. The participants completed general survey questionnaires and were evaluated using the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, and the Marital Satisfaction Scale. Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship between postpartum stress and the various influencing factors by performing a multiple linear regression analysis. The potential mediating roles of marital satisfaction and maternal and infant attachment in the association between perceived social support and postpartum stress were explored by performing a mediation analysis.ResultsAccording to the multivariate regression analysis, perceived social support, marital satisfaction, and maternal postnatal attachment contributed to postpartum stress levels (P < 0.05). The mediation analysis revealed that marital satisfaction and maternal postnatal attachment played parallel mediating roles in the association between perceived social support and postpartum stress, and the mediating effect of marital satisfaction was − 0.1125 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.1784 to -0.0520), accounting for 33.20% of the total effect, and the mediating effect of maternal postnatal attachment was − 0.0847 (95% CI: -0.1304 to -0.0438), accounting for 25.00% of the total effect.ConclusionOur study revealed that perceived social support could influence postpartum stress not only through direct effect (41.80% of the total effect), but also through the indirect effect (mediation effect) of marital satisfaction and maternal postnatal attachment (58.20% of the total effect), suggesting that improving postpartum women’s social support, enhancing maternal and infant attachment, and improving their marital satisfaction could help lower postpartum stress.

A comparison of the mother-infant relationship in mothers with and without gestational diabetes mellitus: An analysis of the growing up in Scotland cohort

BackgroundThere is an increased risk of depressive symptoms in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Poor maternal mental health can impact the mother-infant relationship which can cause problems in the perinatal period. However there is little research which examines the mother-infant relationship in women with GDM. AimsTo test the hypotheses that (1) GDM is associated with a perceived difficult mother-infant relationship in the first year of an infant's life in a cohort of women recruited in pregnancy compared to mothers who do not have GDM and (2) poor maternal mental health mediates the relationship between GDM and the mother-infant relationship Study designA retrospective analysis of a Scottish cohort database using mediation analysis. SubjectsThe dataset included 5,289 women (n = 204 GDM, n = 5,085 no GDM). Outcome measuresThe Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale measured the mother-infant relationship. The SF-12 Mental Health Component Score measured maternal mental health. ResultsGDM does not predict maternal mental health (path a). Poor maternal mental health is significantly associated with a perceived difficult mother-infant relationship (path b). The direct effect of GDM on the mother-infant relationship (path c) was not statistically significant. The indirect effect of GDM on the mother-infant relationship via maternal mental health (mediator) was also not significant. ConclusionThis is the first robust study examining the impact of GDM on the mother-infant relationship. The study did not support the hypotheses, however the results are of theoretical value, especially in the context of limited research.

The effect of spiritual self-care training on the attachment of the mothers of premature babies hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Taleghani Hospital, Ilam

Background. The birth of a premature baby needing to be hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) endangers the initial mother-baby relationship, affecting mother-baby attachment. Therefore, it seems necessary to provide mothers of premature babies with appropriate nursing support. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of spiritual self-care training on the mother-baby attachment of mothers giving birth to premature babies hospitalized in the NICU. Methods. This was a semi-experimental study with pre-test/post-test design conducted on 60 mothers with babies admitted to the NICU of Taleghani Hospital of Ilam (30 participants in each of the intervention and control groups).Two questionnaires were used for data collection, including a demographic information questionnaire and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS). Five self-care training sessions (45 minutes each) were held for mothers of the intervention group according to a self-care booklet prepared by the researcher. The attachment questionnaire was again completed after one week of the last training sessions by all participants, and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. Descriptive statistics were used to present quantitative (mean ±SD) and qualitative (frequency, %) variables. The normality of the data was checked using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, and the MANOVA and univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tests were used to investigate the effects of the training on mother-baby attachment. The statistical significance level was considered P&lt;0.05. Results. The means of the total attachment score in the intervention and control groups were obtained as 51.73 and 56.43 at the pretest and 53.36 and 49.77 at the post-test, respectively, indicating that spiritual self-care training was effective in improving mother-baby attachment (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion. Our results showed that spiritual self-care training augmented mothers’ attachment to their babies hospitalized at the NICU. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested to pave the ground in clinical environments by educating nurses and caregivers and supporting the mother and the baby through spiritual self-care interventions to promote maternal attachment and improve their conditions. Practical Implications. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested to pave the ground in clinical environments by educating nurses and caregivers and supporting the mother and the baby through spiritual self-care interventions to promote maternal attachment and improve their conditions.

Association between Hyperemesis Gravidarum in pregnancy on postnatal ability of infants to attend to a play task with their mother

Research indicates a higher prevalence of attention deficits in children exposed to HG in utero compared to controls with some claiming that the deficit is due to prenatal effects of malnutrition in HG mothers and others that it is due to maternal mental health after birth. The current study examines the effect of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) diagnosis during pregnancy on infant attention controlling for maternal stress, depression anxiety and attachment. Thirty-eight infants mean age 4 months were videotaped with their mothers (19 mothers with a hyperemesis diagnosis and 19 controls) during play with a soft toy and looking at a picture book. Infant attention was operationalized as gaze direction towards the play activity, mother, and ‘distracted’ (indicated by looking away from play or mother). Mothers completed stress, depression, anxiety, and attachment questionnaires. HG exposed infants attended for significantly less time during play with a book or soft toy compared to controls. Maternal stress, depression, anxiety, and attachment did not differ in HG mothers and controls. Infant ability to attend to the toy, book, mother or being distracted did not relate to maternal postnatal attachment, or mental health. These results suggest that the prenatal environment, especially exposure to HG might be associated with reduced infant attention abilities independent of maternal postnatal health.

Maternal Prenatal Distress, Maternal Pre- and Postnatal Bonding and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Toddlers. A Secondary Analysis of the IRIS Study

Maternal prenatal distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms) increases the risk for childhood behavioral and emotional problems. So far, the potential role of maternal bonding in this association still needs further study. Maternal prenatal distress can affect the development of maternal bonding from pregnancy onwards. Maternal prenatal and postnatal bonding in turn have been shown to predict child behavioral functioning. We aimed to investigate whether maternal prenatal and postnatal bonding mediate the association between maternal prenatal distress and toddlers’ internalizing and externalizing problems. Data from a Dutch prospective longitudinal sample (N = 666) were used to conduct single and multiple mediation models. Mothers reported prenatal anxiety (State Anxiety Inventory) and prenatal depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) at 24 weeks’ gestation and maternal prenatal bonding (Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale) at 32 weeks’ gestation. At 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum mothers completed questionnaires to assess maternal postnatal bonding (Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale). Mothers reported child internalizing and externalizing problems (Child Behavior Checklist) at 28 months postpartum. Maternal prenatal and postnatal bonding mediated the link between maternal prenatal anxiety and child externalizing problems but not internalizing problems. Only maternal bonding 6 months postpartum mediated the link between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and child internalizing problems but not externalizing problems. Our study showed that maternal postnatal bonding more consistently mediated links between measures of maternal prenatal distress and child behavioral and emotional problems than maternal prenatal bonding. Interventions reducing maternal prenatal distress and promoting maternal bonding should be developed.

Postnatal maternal mental health and postnatal attachment.

Maternal mental illness has a significant influence on negative maternal and childhood outcomes. Few studies have focused on both maternal depression and anxiety, or explored the interplay of maternal mental illness and the mother-infant bond. We aimed to examine the relationship between early postnatal attachment and mental illness at 4 and 18 months postpartum. This was a secondary analysis of 168 mothers recruited from the BabySmart Study. All women delivered healthy term infants. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured via the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Beck's Depression and Anxiety Inventory at 4 and 18 months respectively. Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) was completed at 4 months. Negative binomial regression analysis investigated associated risk factors at both time points. The prevalence of postpartum depression fell from 12.5% at 4 months to 10.7% at 18 months. Anxiety rates increased from 13.1% to 17.9% at similar time points. At 18 months, both symptoms were new in almost two-thirds of women, 61.1% and 73.3% respectively. There was a strong correlation between the anxiety scale of the EPDS and the total EPDS p-score (R=0.887, p<0.001). Early postpartum anxiety was an independent risk factor for later anxiety and depression. High attachment scores were an independent protective factor for depression at 4 months (RR=0.943, 95%CI: 0.924-0.962, p<0.001) and 18 months (RR=0.971, 95%CI: 0.949-0.997, p=0.026), and protected against early postpartum anxiety (RR=0.952, 95%CI: 0.933-0.97, p<0.001). The prevalence of postnatal depression at 4 months was similar to national and international rates, although clinical anxiety increased over time with almost 1 in 5 women scoring in the clinical anxiety range at 18 months. Strong maternal attachment was associated with decreased reported symptoms of both depression and anxiety. The effect of persistent maternal anxiety on maternal and infant health needs to be determined.

Implementing the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in universal services: Qualitative interviews with health visitors.

Background: A secure parent-infant relationship lays the foundations for children's development, however there are currently no measurement tools recommended for clinical practice. We evaluated the clinical utility of a structured assessment of the parent-infant relationship (the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, MPAS) in a deprived, multi-ethnic urban community in England. This paper answers the question: what are health visitors' views on the parent-infant relationship, and experiences of piloting the MPAS? It explores the barriers and facilitators to implementation, and complements the paper on psychometric properties and representativeness reported in Dunn et al (2022). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 health visitors and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Health visitors saw identification and support of the parent-infant relationship as an important part of their role, and reported benefits of the MPAS, including opening conversation and identifying and reporting concerns. Challenges included timing and workload, the appropriateness of language, perceived intrusiveness and understanding of the questions, and the length of the tool. Suggestions for improvements to the tool were put forward. Conclusions: The experiences, benefits and challenges identified help to explain results in Dunn et al, and the wide-ranging challenges identified would hinder assessment of the parent-infant relationship in routine practice. Further work with health professionals and parents has been undertaken to co-produce an acceptable, feasible and reliable tool for clinical practice.

The feasibility of an objective measure of the parent-child relationship in health visiting practice: assessment of the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale.

Background: Positive parent infant relationships are key to achieving long term child outcomes. Identifying parents who may need support is difficult because of a lack of robust assessment tools. Working in partnership with health services we piloted the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in a deprived, multi-ethnic urban community in Bradford, UK. The pilot aimed to assess the clinical utility of MPAS to identify need for support: Was it administered to a representative group of women? Is MPAS valid for this population? Methods: Data were linked to a cohort study in the pilot area (Born in Bradford's Better Start - BiBBS). Chi Square tests assessed sample representativeness (age, ethnicity, parity, English language, education, deprivation). Exploratory factor analysis explored MPAS' validity. Results: 563 women in BiBBS were eligible, 210 (37%) completed MPAS. No differences were found between completers and non-completers, suggestive of a representative sample. In total, 336 women (including a number of women living in the service area who had not participated in BiBBS) completed MPAS in the pilot. MPAS had ceiling effects and a satisfactory factor structure could not be identified, indicating poor psychometric properties. Conclusions: Health visitors were successful in administering MPAS to a representative sample, but the lack of psychometric robustness indicates that MPAS is unsuitable for routine use in this setting. A gap for such a measure remains.

Comparison of correlation between spiritual health of parents and level of their attachment to the preterm neonate

ObjectivesA neonate's hospitalization in the NICU causes physical, mental, and emotional separation of the neonate from the parents, thus interrupting the creation of the natural process of maternal-paternal-neonatal attachment. Spiritual health affects all dimensions of health including the process of communication with others and the environment. Attachment is also a form of communication. Thus, the present study compared the correlation between the spiritual health of parents and their level of their attachment to their preterm neonate. MethodsThis descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 226 parents with preterm neonates hospitalized in the NICU by a convenient sampling method. The research instruments included a demographic information questionnaire of parents and neonates, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and a Maternal & Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale. The data were analyzed with SPSS20. ResultsThe mean “religious health” of mothers (54.30 ± 3.69) was significantly higher than in fathers (53.03 ± 4.94) (P = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference between the average “existential health” of mother and father (P = 0.24) and the total “spiritual health” score between them (P = 0.27). The mean total score of maternal and paternal attachment to their preterm neonate were 83.86 ± 4.23 and 78.32 ± 5.61, respectively. Regarding the correlation between spiritual health and maternal and paternal attachment, all of the correlation coefficients were positive, and for a one unit increase in the score of spiritual health, the total score of maternal and paternal attachment increased by 0.27 and 0.20, respectively, meaning that the correlation between the mother's spiritual health and level of her attachment to her preterm neonate was stronger compared to this attachment in the father. ConclusionConsidering the significant correlation between spiritual health and attachment, as well as the stronger correlation in mothers compared to fathers, it is possible that applying educational programs to improve the attachment of parents, especially in the mother, can play a significant role in the field of spiritual health.

Study protocol on risk factors for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in different trimesters and their relation to maternal and neonatal outcomes (GDM-RIDMAN)

IntroductionGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is often associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the association of risk factors with GDM diagnosis, maternal and neonatal health outcomes is less established when compared...

Does Parental Reflective Functioning Mediate the Associations between the Maternal Antenatal and Postnatal Bond with the Child in a Community Sample?

Although establishing an affective tie with a child during perinatality is considered one of the most important maternal tasks, little is still known about the mediators of the association between maternal antenatal and postnatal bonding with the infant. This prospective study addresses this gap by evaluating a community sample of 110 Italian women to assess whether maternal pre- and postnatal bonds with the infant are mediated by parental reflective functioning (PRF), as assessed at the third trimester of pregnancy and three months postpartum. Controlling for confounding variables, the hierarchical regression analyses show the maternal prenatal quality of attachment to the fetus as the main predictor of maternal postnatal attachment to the child (β = 0.315; t = 0.2.86; p = 0.005). The mediation analyses show that mothers’ PRF (b = 0.245; SE = 0.119; 95% CI = 0.071, 0.531) explains 39% of the relationship between maternal pre- and postnatal bonding with the child. The findings of this study contribute to research on the association between prenatal and mother-to-infant bonding by additionally investigating the importance of taking into account maternal PRF as a mediating variable. This provides support for the clinical utility of interventions focused on maternal PRF.

The Role of Antenatal and Postnatal Maternal Bonding in Infant Development.

The affectional bond experienced by a mother toward her developing fetus/infant has been theorized to be a critical factor in determining infant developmental outcomes; yet there remains a paucity of research in this area, and a lack of high-quality longitudinal studies. This study aimed to examine the extent to which mother-to-infant bonding predicted infant development in a multi-wave longitudinal pregnancy cohort study (N= 1,347). Self-reported bonding was assessed using the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale at each trimester, and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale at 8 weeks and 12 months postpartum. Infant development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) at 12 months. Bonding predicted indicators of infant social-affective development, including social-emotional, behavioral, and temperamental outcomes. Effect sizes ranged from small to moderate, increasing over the perinatal period (β= 0.11-0.27). Very small effects were also identified in the relationship between bonding and cognitive, language, and motor development (β= 0.06-0.08). Findings suggest that a mother's perceived emotional connection with her child plays a role in predicting social-affective outcomes; prediction may not extend to other domains of infant development. Maternal bonding may therefore be a potentially modifiable predictor of infant social-affective outcomes, offering important considerations for preventive intervention.

Does interactive ultrasound intervention relieve minor depressive symptoms and increase maternal attachment in pregnancy? A protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPerinatal depression, especially minor depression, is common during pregnancy and is likely to continue into the postpartum period. It may impair the mother’s health, the infant’s neurodevelopment, and the mother-infant relationship. Screening for perinatal depression is recommended; however, there is no consensus on how to treat depressive symptoms while simultaneously supporting the mother-infant relationship. Ultrasound examination has been shown to improve maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant women. Our aim is to develop a four-dimensional (4D) based interactive ultrasound intervention and test whether it relieves minor depressive symptoms and improves maternal-fetal attachment. Previous studies show that supporting the mother-infant relationship aids in relieving maternal depression. Until now, few studies have combined pregnancy ultrasound and psychological support.MethodsA controlled randomized setting was designed to assess whether interactive 4D-ultrasound intervention would decrease maternal depressive symptoms, strengthen maternal-fetal attachment, and mother-infant relationship. An obstetrician and a psychologist specialized in infant mental health conduct the interventions. The focus is to jointly observe the behavior of the fetus according to the mothers’ wishes. Altogether, 100 women scoring 10–15 on Edinburgh Pre-/Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and with singleton pregnancy are recruited using a web-based questionnaire. Half of the participants will be randomized to the intervention group and will undergo three interactive ultrasound examinations. The primary outcomes are a decrease in perinatal depressive symptoms assessed with EPDS and an increase in maternal attachment. The maternal attachment was assessed using the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI), the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS), and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS). Secondly, we hypothesize that if the intervention decreases prenatal depressive symptoms and improves prenatal attachment, the decrease in depressive symptoms and improvement in mother-infant relationship is seen postnatally.DiscussionUltrasound is widely used during pregnancy. The interactive approach is unique and may be feasible as part of routine screenings and maternity clinic visits. Intervention that decreases depression and simultaneously supports maternal-fetal attachment would be a valuable addition to the treatment of minor depression among pregnant women.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03424642. Registered on January 5 2018.

Implementing the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in universal services: Qualitative interviews with health visitors

Background: A secure parent-infant relationship lays the foundations for children's development, however there are currently no measurement tools recommended for clinical practice. We evaluate the clinical utility of a structured assessment of the parent-infant relationship (the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, MPAS) in a deprived, multi-ethnic urban community in England. This paper answers the question: what are health visitors' views on the parent-infant relationship, and experiences of piloting the MPAS? It explores the barriers and facilitators to implementation, and complements the paper on psychometric properties and representativeness reported in Dunn et al (submitted). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 health visitors and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Health visitors saw identification and support of the parent-infant relationship as an important part of their role, and reported benefits of the MPAS, including opening conversation, and identifying and reporting concerns. Challenges included timing and workload, the appropriateness of language, perceived intrusiveness and understanding of the questions, and the length of the tool. Suggestions for improvements to the tool were put forwards. Conclusions: The experiences, benefits and challenges identified help to explain results in Dunn et al, and the wide-ranging challenges identified would hinder assessment of the parent-infant relationship in routine practice. Further work with health professionals and parents has been undertaken to co-produce an acceptable, feasible and reliable tool for clinical practice.

The feasibility of an objective measure of the parent-child relationship in health visiting practice: assessment of the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale

Background: Positive parent infant relationships are key to achieving long term child outcomes. Identifying parents who may need support is difficult because of a lack of robust assessment tools. Working in partnership with health services we piloted the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in a deprived, multi-ethnic urban community in Bradford, UK. The pilot aimed to assess the clinical utility of MPAS to identify need for support: Was it administered to a representative group of women? Is MPAS valid for this population? Methods: Data were linked to a cohort study in the pilot area (Born in Bradford's Better Start - BiBBS). Chi Square tests assessed sample representativeness (age, ethnicity, parity, English language, education, deprivation). Exploratory factor analysis explored MPAS' validity. Results: 563 women in BiBBS were eligible, 210 (37%) completed MPAS. No differences were found between completers and non-completers, suggestive of a representative sample. In total, 336 women completed MPAS in the pilot. MPAS had ceiling effects and a satisfactory factor structure could not be identified, indicating poor psychometric properties Conclusions: Health visitors were successful in administering MPAS to a representative sample, but poor psychometric robustness indicates that MPAS is unsuitable for routine use in this setting. A gap for such a measure remains.

OP030: Parenting stress raising children with sex chromosome aneuploidies: First year of life results from the eXtraordinarY Babies study

OP030: Parenting stress raising children with sex chromosome aneuploidies: First year of life results from the eXtraordinarY Babies study

The contributions of maternal oxytocin and maternal sensitivity to infant attachment security

ABSTRACT This study investigated links between maternal postnatal oxytocin, maternal sensitivity, and infant attachment security. At 3-months postpartum, participants (n=88) took part in a structured parent-infant interaction. Maternal oxytocin levels were assessed via blood, before and after the interaction. At 12-months postpartum, mother-child dyads completed the Strange Situation Procedure. Neither baseline oxytocin, oxytocin response, or maternal sensitivity were identified as significant independent predictors of infant attachment security or organisation. However, an interaction effect was identified, with higher maternal sensitivity being associated with secure infant attachment for mothers who showed an increase in oxytocin during parent–child interaction. Results indicate that maternal sensitivity, when accompanied by an increase in maternal oxytocin during parent–child interaction, is associated with the establishment of a positive early parent–child attachment relationship. This adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting maternal oxytocin response as a key adaptive process in the postpartum period.

Maternal Attachment Representations during Pregnancy, Perinatal Maternal Depression, and Parenting Stress: Relations to Child's Attachment.

Background: This paper aimed to explore the associations between maternal representations of attachment evaluated during pregnancy, pre and postnatal maternal depression, parenting stress and child’s attachment at 15 months after childbirth. Methods: Mothers (n = 71), and their infants participated in a longitudinal study of maternal attachment, pre and postnatal depression, parenting stress and child attachment. Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) was conducted between 24 and 26 weeks of pregnancy (Time 1), depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (at Time 1 and 6 months after childbirth, i.e., Time 2), parenting stress was assessed using the Parenting Stress Index—Short Form (PS-SF) (at Time 2) and the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) at child’s 15 months of age (Time 3). Results: Free-autonomous maternal classification of attachment increases the likelihood of secure child classification in her offspring, while decreases that of avoidance and ambivalence. Insecure maternal representation of attachment evaluated during pregnancy and higher levels of parenting stress at six months after childbirth was associated with higher rates of infant insecure attachment at 15 months. Conclusions: Our study validates the importance of considering maternal representations of attachment crucial in determining the quality of the caregiving environment, thereby the healthy development of children, despite the presence of other contextual risk.