Non-verbal mother-child communication in conditions of maternal HIV in an experimental environment

Simone de Sousa Paiva1, Marli Teresinha Gimeniz Galvão, Lorita Marlena Freitag Pagliuca

  • 1Departamento de Enfermagem, Faculdade de Farmácia, Odontologia e Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Ceará, CE, Brazil. simonecvc@yahoo.com.br

Non-verbal communication is predominant in the mother-child relation. This study aimed to analyze non-verbal mother-child communication in conditions of maternal HIV. In an experimental environment, five HIV-positive mothers were evaluated during care delivery to their babies of up to six months old. Recordings of the care were analyzed by experts, observing aspects of non-verbal communication, such as: paralanguage, kinesics, distance, visual contact, tone of voice, maternal and infant tactile behavior. In total, 344 scenes were obtained. After statistical analysis, these permitted inferring that mothers use non-verbal communication to demonstrate their close attachment to their children and to perceive possible abnormalities. It is suggested that the mothers infection can be a determining factor for the formation of mothers strong attachment to their children after birth.

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