The relationship between maternal-fetus attachment and perceived parental bonds in pregnant women: Considering a possible mediating role of psychological distress

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Vito M. R. Muggeo¹  Paolo Tonin²  Juanita Cajiao³  Alessia Aloi⁴  Iolanda Martino⁵  Flaviana Tenuta⁶  Angela Costabile⁶  Francesco Craig⁶  Maria C. Gioia⁸  Antonio Cerasa⁹ 

[1] Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo;S’Anna Institute;Faculty of Medicine Universitat de Barcelona;Associazione di Volontariato Mammachemamme;Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institutes of Neurology, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro;Department of Cultures, Education and Society, University of Calabria;Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea—Unit for Severe Disabilities in Developmental Age and Young Adults;iGreco Ospedali Riuniti;Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation ,(IRIB), National Research Council of Italy;Pharmacotechnology Documentation and Transfer Unit, Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, Health Science and Nutrition, University of Calabria

关键词: Prenatal attachment;    maternal-fetal attachment;    parental bonding;    maternal care;    Paternal care;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1095030

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Maternal-Fetal Attachment (MFA) delineates the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects that mothers develop toward the unborn baby during pregnancy. The literature indicates that optimal attachment in pregnancy represents a protective factor for the mother-child attachment bond after birth and child development outcomes. To date, there are few studies that have investigated associated factors of MFA. This study sets out to explore the association between perceived parental bonds and maternal-fetal bonding in pregnant women, accounting for factors such as psychological distress, sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1177 pregnant women answered the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), and Beck-Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results: We found out that perceived maternal and paternal care had significant direct effects on maternal-infant bonding during the pregnancy period when controlling for some confounders, including gestational age and mother age among others. Such maternal and paternal perceived care effects were not mediated by levels of psychological distress, which in turn resulted to be a “borderline” significant predictor of prenatal attachment. Interestingly, the gestational age and the mother age emerged to have a significant and synergic nonlinear effect, suggesting the influence on the MFAS of the gestational age depends on the values of the mother age, and likewise, the effect of mother age on MFAS depends on the gestational week. Conclusions: This study expands our knowledge of the intergenerational transmission of attachment pointing out the effects of a woman’s perceived bond in relation to her parental figures during the development of the prenatal attachment process. Findings also suggests that parenting support interventions may have benefits that are realized across generations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY