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Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
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Published on: September 19, 2019

Maternal perinatal mental health: Associations with bonding, mindfulness, and self-criticism at 18 months' postpartum

Alexandra Brassel1, Michelle L Townsend1,2, Judy A Pickard1,2

  • 1School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.

Infant Mental Health Journal
|September 6, 2019
PubMed

The perinatal period is a time of significant transition for women, with changes in maternal mental health from pregnancy to 18 months' postpartum. This study specifically analyzes maternal self-criticism and mindfulness during pregnancy and at 18 months' postpartum, and their associations with bonding. A longitudinal study (30 weeks' gestation-18 months' postpartum) assessed 32 mother-infant dyads, examining changes in maternal depression, anxiety, self-criticism, and mindfulness. In addition, associations between maternal variables during pregnancy and bonding were investigated. Maternal depression and self-criticism significantly increased from pregnancy to postpartum. Maternal anxiety, self-criticism, and facets of mindfulness during pregnancy were also associated with mother-infant bonding at 18 months. Maternal mental health during pregnancy is subject to change postchildbirth. The lack of control and autonomy accompanying motherhood may result in an increase in self-criticism during this period. Such feelings may elevate a woman's vulnerability to postpartum depression and have consequences for later maternal bonding. Early identification of at-risk mothers is important to increase likelihood of positive outcomes.

Keywords:
AchtsamkeitBindungBondingMaternal mental healthMindfulnessMütterliche psychische GesundheitSanté mentale maternelleSelbstkritikSelf-criticismauto-críticaautocritiqueconnexionplein conscienceplena atenciónsalud mental maternavinculación afectivaالصحة النفسية للأمهاتالنقد الذاتياليقظةتكوين الروابطマインドフルネス內觀母親のメンタルヘルス產婦心理健康絆維繫自己批判自我批評

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