Maternal trauma and emotional availability in early mother-infant interaction: findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Well-being Study (MPEWS) cohort.

Attachment & Human Development
Kelli K MacMillanMegan Galbally

Abstract

Understanding how a mother's traumatic experiences influence her interactions with her infant may have importance for understanding infant development and mental health. Data for this study were drawn from an Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study. Maternal trauma from Childhood, Childbirth Experiences, and Stressful Life Events were examined. At six-months postpartum, 211 predominantly first-time mothers (mean age 31.5 years), and their infants, were video-recorded interacting for 40 minutes. Interactions were assessed with the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales. Using structural equation modelling to test multiple mediation pathways, moderate-to-severe childhood trauma had only a direct effect on reducing maternal EA with the infant (β=-.17, p=.031), as did current stressful life events (β=-.19, p=.019), after controlling for maternal depression, age, and tertiary education. This highlights that proximate trauma specific to the perinatal period may not account for the effect of distal childhood trauma on maternal EA at six-months postpartum.

References

Jan 1, 1975·Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry·S FraibergV Shapiro
Apr 1, 1995·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·C G BallardI F Brockington
Aug 1, 1997·Child Development·M S De Wolff, M H van Ijzendoorn
Dec 29, 2000·Journal of Clinical Child Psychology·M Ostberg, B Hagekull
Feb 24, 2001·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·A S CarterM J Briggs-Gowan
Nov 16, 2001·Attachment & Human Development·A S OyenC Hilburn-Cobb
Mar 5, 2003·Child Abuse & Neglect·David P BernsteinWilliam Zule
Aug 25, 2004·Early Human Development·Carole Muller-NixFrançois Ansermet
Mar 9, 2007·Journal of Traumatic Stress·Kami L Schwerdtfeger, Briana S Nelson Goff
Jan 16, 2008·The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry·Eva MoehlerLuise Poustka
Jul 31, 2008·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·David P LaplanteSuzanne King
Nov 7, 2008·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·J Gayle BeckSarah A Palyo
Apr 27, 2010·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·Peng ZhuXiaomin Jiang
Jun 16, 2010·Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43)·Douglas M TetiMolly Countermine
Jun 23, 2011·BJOG : an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·C FlachL M Howard
Oct 25, 2011·Child Abuse & Neglect·Lil TonmyrHarriet L Macmillan
Feb 2, 2012·Development and Psychopathology·Zeynep Biringen, M Ann Easterbrooks
Feb 2, 2012·Development and Psychopathology·Melissa C GarvinMegan R Gunnar
Feb 2, 2012·Development and Psychopathology·Marc H BornsteinDana A Breakstone
Feb 2, 2012·Development and Psychopathology·David Oppenheim
Apr 18, 2012·The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry·Amit ShriraHoward Litwin
Sep 4, 2012·Archives of Women's Mental Health·Susan Garthus-NiegelMalin Eberhard-Gran
Apr 4, 2015·Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review·Annett LotzinBrigitte Ramsauer
Apr 18, 2015·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth·Kate F WalkerJim G Thornton
Aug 19, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·Hannah SaundersZeynep Biringen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.