Prenatal maternal representations: Mothers at psychosocial risk

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore differences in the content of prenatal mental representations between a risk group (n ϭ 84) and a low-risk group (n ϭ 296) of pregnant women, enrolled from maternity care centers in southwestern Finland. The method used was semantic differentials of IRMAG (Interview of Maternal Representations During Pregnancy). The risk group was defined by means of questionnaire screens that concerned chemical dependency, depression, difficulties in social environment, and low social support. The ratings on all target subjects, i.e., child, self, partner, self-as-mother and own mother-as-mother, were significantly more negative in the risk group. The representation profiles of the groups differed: especially the ratings of partner and own mother-as-mother were more consistently and strongly negative among the risk mothers.RESUMEN: El objetivo de este estudio fue el de explorar las diferencias en el contenido de las representaciones mentales antes del nacimiento del infante entre un grupo de riesgo (nϭ84) y un grupo de bajo riesgo (nϭ296) de mujeres embarazadas, miembros de centros de cuidado de la maternidad en el suroeste de Finlandia. Se usaron como método las diferenciales semánticas de IRMAG (Entrevista de las representaciones maternas durante el embarazo). El grupo de riesgo fue definido por medio de cuestionarios de selección que incluían dependencia química, depresión, dificultades en el ambiente social y poco apoyo social. Los puntajes en todos los temas sobre los cuales se les preguntó (sobre el infante, sobre sí mismas, sobre su pareja, ellas como madres y sus propias madres como madres), fueron significativamente más negativos en el grupo de riesgo. Los perfiles de representación de los grupos difirieron: especialmente los puntajes con relación a la pareja y a sus propias madres como madres fueron consistente y fuertemente más negativos entre las madres bajo riesgo.RÉ SUMÉ : Le but de cette étude était d'explorer les différences dans le contexte des représentations mentales prénatales entre un groupe à risque (nϭ84) et un groupe à faible risque (nϭ296) de femmes enceintes, inscrites dans des centres de maternité dans le sud-ouest de la Finlande. La méthode utilisée consistait en différentielles sémantiques de l'IRMAG (abrégé en anglais, soit l'Entretien de Reprentation Maternelles Durant la Grossesse, en français). Le groupe à risque fut défini grâce à des questionnaires de dépistage concernant la dépendance chimique, la dépression, les difficultés dans le milieu social et un soutien social peu élevé. Les évaluations de tous les sujets cibles, i.e. l'enfant, soi-même, le partenaire, soi-même en tant que mère, sa propre mère en tant que mère, étaient considérablement plus négatives dans ce groupe à risque. Les profils de représentation des groupes différaient: les évaluations des partenaires et de sa propre mère en tant que mère étaient surtout plus invariablement et plus fortement négatives chez les mères à risque.

Prenatal views of baby and parenthood: Association with sociodemographic and pregnancy factors

“…Self-report questionnaire screens also were used in assessing the amount of social support, depressive symptoms, and substance dependency in this same sample of mothers; those results have been reported elsewhere ͑Pajulo et al, 2001a͑Pajulo et al, , 2001b; also see the Background section͒.…”

“…In a study among 400 pregnant women in routine maternity-care visits, mothers who screened positive for depression, low social support, and/or substance dependency were found to have more negative content in their prenatal representations regarding the child, self, child's father, self-as-a-mother and own mother ͑Pajulo, Savonlahti, Sourander, Helenius, & Piha, 2001a͒. Thus, maternal representations during pregnancy seem to have significant empirical and clinical value, and it is important to consider how best to reliably assess these predictive maternal mental states. Both the narrative structure and the content of mental representations are considered salient ͑Ammaniti, Candelori, Pola, & Tambelli, 1995;Cramer et al, 1990;Stern et al, 1989;Zeanah, Benoit, Hirshberg, Barton, & Regan, 1994͒.…”

Predicting Internalizing and Externalizing Problems at Five Years by Child and Parental Factors in Infancy and Toddlerhood

“…Mother's negative perception of her child has not often been examined as a possible risk factor for child development, although studies on maternal depression suggest that one of the mechanisms of risk transmission may be that the child is exposed to maternal negative cognitions [29]. There are some studies showing that mother's consistently negative perception of her infant perinatally is related to later externalizing problems of the child at 8-9 years [15] and change to negativity in early maternal perceptions of the infant is related to more problems in mother-infant interaction [30].…”

Avaliação Psicológica Dos Efeitos Secundários Da Triagem Sistemática Da Surdez Neonatal Permanente

“…Contudo, informar aos pais uma disfunção sensorial potencial desde os primeiros dias de vida da criança pode provocar uma certa angústia parental assim como uma desorganização das primeiras relações pais-criança, e certos profissionais se posicionam de modo reservado quanto aos reais benefícios de uma triagem praticada durante o período neonatal, que se revela sensível em inúmeros aspectos 5 . Vários estudos tentaram avaliar as conseqüências de um resultado positivo no teste de triagem da surdez permanente neonatal e emitem conclusões bastante contrastantes.…”