[Ethical considerations for children living with their imprisoned mothers]. / Réflexions éthiques autour des enfants vivant auprès de leurs mères incarcérées.

In France, pregnant women or women with children under the age of 18 months, and in exceptional cases 24 months, can serve their prison sentences in specially equipped nurseries or mother-child cells. This situation is likely to have a negative impact on the child's health, and on the quality of the bond with the mother over the longer or shorter term. The benefits of maintaining this bond are indisputable, whatever the setting. Improvements to this system could be considered and implemented.

Ketamine causes poor maternal care in rats with postpartum depression and leads to few behavioral and neurochemical alterations on male offspring.

Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that also has antidepressant properties, with quick action. Despite the great number of studies showing its effectiveness as a treatment for major depression, there is little information about its effects on postpartum depression, as pharmacological treatments bring risks to the health of both mother and child. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of prolonged treatment with subanesthetic doses of ketamine in a rat model of postpartum depression. Female dams were induced to postpartum depression by the maternal separation model from lactating day (LD) 2-12. They were divided into four groups: one control and three experimental groups, which were treated with different doses of ketamine (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg) from LD 2-21 i.p. Maternal studies were conducted from LD5 to LD21 and the offspring studies from postnatal day 2 through 90. Ketamine causes poor maternal care, with few neurochemical alterations. However, the highest dose used in this study had an antidepressant effect. Regarding the male offspring, indirect exposure to ketamine through breast milk caused few behavioral changes during infancy, but they were not permanent, as they faded in adulthood. Nevertheless, this exposure was able to cause alterations in their monoaminergic neurotransmission systems that were found in both infancy and adulthood periods.

[Anorexia nervosa and the perinatal period]. / Anorexie mentale et période périnatale.

As a complex pathology, anorexia nervosa interacts with the psychological challenges of pregnancy, and raises questions about how to support the women concerned. As part of a multidisciplinary approach, support groups are particularly important, offering both individual and social support. Child-parent drop-in centers can also provide a supportive space for the psychological work of parenting.

Breastfeeding Success and Newborn Health before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic:A Single-Centre Comparative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, adjustments in patient and visitor traffic were made in hospitals to limit viral exposure. The primary objective of our study was to compare the breastfeeding success of healthy newborns in a maternity ward during the 2020 lockdown period compared with the same period in the previous year. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single-center comparative study based on prospectively collected data. All neonates born alive, from a single pregnancy, and with a gestational age greater than 36 weeks were considered for this study. RESULTS: 309 infants born in 2020 and 330 born in 2019 were included. Among women who desired to exclusively breastfeed, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge from the maternity ward was higher in 2020 than in 2019 (85 vs. 79%; p = 0.078). After logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders (i.e., maternal BMI, parity, mode of delivery, gestational age, and size at birth), study period remained significantly and independently associated with exclusive breastfeeding at discharge (OR [95% CI] = 1.645 [1.005; 2.694]; p = 0.046). Newborns born in 2020 were less likely to have weight loss ≥10% than those born in 2019 (OR [95% CI] = 2.596 [1.148; 5.872]; p = 0.017) but had similar need for phototherapy (p = 0.41). CONCLUSION: The success of exclusive breastfeeding during the 2020 lockdown period was increased compared with the same period in 2019.

Ketamine causes poor maternal care in rats with postpartum depression and leads to few behavioral and neurochemical alterations on male offspring

Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that also has antidepressant properties, with quick action. Despite the great number of studies showing its effectiveness as a treatment for major depression, there is little information about its effects on postpartum depression, as pharmacological treatments bring risks to the health of both mother and child. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of prolonged treatment with subanesthetic doses of ketamine in a rat model of postpartum depression. Female dams were induced to postpartum depression by the maternal separation model from lactating day (LD) 2 to 12. They were divided into four groups: one control and three experimental groups, which were treated with different doses of ketamine (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg) from LD 2 to 21 i.p. Maternal studies were conducted from LD5 to LD21 and the offspring studies from postnatal day 2 through 90. Ketamine causes poor maternal care, with few neurochemical alterations. However, the highest dose used in this study had an antidepressant effect. Regarding the male offspring, indirect exposure to ketamine through breast milk caused few behavioral changes during infancy, but they were not permanent, as they faded in adulthood. Nevertheless, this exposure was able to cause alterations in their monoaminergic neurotransmission systems that were found in both infancy and adulthood periods.

Observação Materna: Primeiros Sinais do Transtorno do Espectro Autista Maternal / Maternal Observation: Early Signs of Autistic Spectrum Disorder / Observación Materna: Primeras Señales del Trastorno del Espectro Autista

Os indicadores de risco para o desenvolvimento psíquico da criança podem ser identificados nos primeiros meses de vida do bebê. Essa pesquisa teve como objetivo apresentar e discutir os primeiros sinais, observados por mães de bebês que, posteriormente, na fase da infância, foram diagnosticados com Transtorno do Espectro Autista. O delineamento foi quali-quantitativo. Participaram 27 mães de crianças com Transtorno do Espectro Autista. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de uma entrevista semiestruturada e passaram por uma análise de conteúdo. Posteriormente, os sinais referidos no relato das mães foram listados, reagrupados por áreas e submetidos à estatística descritiva. Constatou-se que os sinais mais observados correspondiam à área da linguagem e do comportamento. Na época da observação, as mães não relacionaram as alterações identificadas com a possibilidade de um diagnóstico de Autismo. Elas também, inicialmente, não foram alertadas por profissionais da saúde em relação aos indicadores já apresentados pelos bebês e, consequentemente, a maioria das participantes recebeu o diagnóstico após os 36 meses da criança. Sugere-se que o os profissionais da saúde participem de capacitações sobre os sinais de risco para o desenvolvimento psíquico infantil, com vistas a uma atuação de qualidade, respaldada pelo crescente aporte teórico sobre o tema. (AU)

Risk indicators for the child's psychic development can be identified in the first months of the baby's life. This research aimed to present and discuss the first signs observed by mothers of infants who were later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder during childhood. The design was qualitative and quantitative. 27 mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder participated. The data were obtained through a semi-structured interview and underwent a content analysis. Subsequently, the mentioned signs in the mothers' reports were listed, grouped by areas and submitted to descriptive statistics. It was observed that the most observed signs corresponded to the area of language and behavior. At the time of observation, the mothers did not relate the changes identified with the possibility of a diagnosis of Autism. They were also initially not alerted by health professionals about the indicators already presented by the babies and, consequently, the majority of the participants received the diagnosis after 36 months of the child. It is suggested that health professionals participate in training on risk signs for children's psychic development, with a view to a quality action, supported by a growing theoretical contribution on the theme. (AU)

Los indicadores de riesgo para el desarrollo psíquico del niño se pueden identificar en los primeros meses de vida del bebé. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo presentar y discutir los primeros signos, observados por madres de bebés que, posteriormente, en la fase de la infancia, fueron diagnosticados con Trastorno del Espectro Autista. El delineamiento fue cuali-cuantitativo. Participaron 27 madres de niños con trastorno del espectro autista. Los datos fueron obtenidos por medio de una entrevista semiestructurada y pasaron por un análisis de contenido. Posteriormente, los signos referidos en el relato de las madres fueron listados, reagrupados por áreas y sometidos a la estadística descriptiva. Se constató que los signos más observados correspondían al área del lenguaje y del comportamiento. En la época de la observación, las madres no relacionaron las alteraciones identificadas con la posibilidad de un diagnóstico de Autismo. También, inicialmente, no fueron alertadas por profesionales de la salud en relación a los indicadores ya presentados por los bebés y, consecuentemente, la mayoría de las participantes recibió el diagnóstico después de los 36 meses del niño. Se sugiere que los profesionales de la salud participen de capacitaciones sobre los signos de riesgo para el desarrollo psíquico infantil, con vistas a una actuación de calidad, respaldada por el creciente aporte teórico sobre el tema. (AU)

[The Dedyco device, a therapy of the mother-child bond through storytelling in a transcultural setting]. / Le dispositif Dedyco, une thérapeutique du lien mère-enfant par les contes dans un cadre transculturel.

The device Dedyco is a mixture of two practices clinical storytelling workshops and cross-cultural therapy consultation for families. Tales, graphic productions, staging games allow mothers and their children to share a moment out of time, in the footsteps of wonderful characters.

Associations Between Breastfeeding and Mother-Infant Relationships: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Breastfeeding has been associated to an improved mother-child bond, although this link is lacking the sufficient empirical support. Aims: The aims of this study were to carry out a systematic review as a continuation to the one by Jansen et al., and to clarify the link between breastfeeding and mother-infant relationships. Materials and Methods: Data sources: A search was conducted using PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and CINAHL (2008-2018), using both free text words and subject headings. Additional hand-searching was performed. Study selection: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework guided (the reporting of) the study selection and data extraction. Eligible articles were subsequently selected by title, abstract, and full text review. Data extraction: Data regarding study setting, participants, breastfeeding, mother-infant relationships, and outcome measures were extracted in a systematic way. Results of Data Synthesis: Ultimately, 13 articles were included. Most studies were conducted in Europe (46.15%) and were nonexperimental studies (92.3%). Eight studies were longitudinal, using between two and five assessment time points. The instruments used to assess the bond between mother and child showed great variability. From the studies, 8 (61.5%) employed self-report measures and four assessed maternal perception. Others used open-ended questions regarding the maternal lactation process or about the mother's activity while breastfeeding. Other measures used were maternal perception of her baby and personality variables associated to breastfeeding. Five articles studied the bond using external observations of the interactions between mother-child. The quality of the studies (Medical Education Research Studies Quality Instrument [MERSQI]) was overall fair to good. Conclusion: It is complicated to extract generalizable results because of the conceptual and instrumental variability of the mother-child relationship. This association is complex and the way in which breastfeeding is carried out would appear to be a decisive factor, influenced in turn by additional variables that should also be taken into account. The relationship indicators most frequently associated to breastfeeding are maternal sensitivity and secure attachment.

Postpartum Depressive Disorder - Psychosomatic Aspects.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common mental illness in mothers following the birth of a child. Since the symptoms of PPD are similar to the normal stress of healthy women following childbirth, it is often difficult for the attending gynaecologist or midwife to diagnose this illness in a timely manner and thus initiate adequate treatment and comprehensive support for the patient. Even if there are options for a screening using evaluated questionnaires and subsequent psychotherapy and/or drug therapy in the treatment of PPD which has proven effective, it is seen that, in most treatment approaches, little consideration is given to the affect-controlled interaction and the bonding behaviour between mother and child. This article presents diagnostic measures and current therapeutic approaches as well as their integration in practice in order to achieve awareness of this topic in everyday clinical practice and show the pathways of appropriate treatment. Specific multiprofessional treatment approaches which centre on the mother-child relationship demonstrate successes with regard to depression in the mothers and also on the development of a secure mother-child bond and are thus a protective factor in the development of the affected children. The now well-known effects of PPD on the fathers as well as the negative impacts of paternal depression on child development make it clear that the treatment should not focus solely on maternal depression, but also always on the family bond between the mother, child and father in the treatment.

Proceso de pensamiento y vulnerabilidad psicosocial: Análisis del discurso adolescente y materno en interacción terapéutica / Thought process and psychosocial vulnerability: Analysis of adolescent and maternal discourse in therapeutic interaction

En este artículo se analizará el proceso de pensamiento de un adolescente violento con vulnerabilidad psicosocial en interacción terapéutica con su madre. El discurso del adolescente y su madre serán analizados en el marco de una sesión vincular que forma parte de un dispositivo diagnóstico-terapéutico grupal. Los métodos que se utilizarán son el Algoritmo David Liberman (ADL) que permite analizar deseos, defensas predominantes, pensamiento preconsciente-consciente y sus fallas y el Manual de Función Reflexiva (RF) que permite analizar el nivel de mentalización. Dado que los adolescentes violentos son derivados a tratamiento terapéutico por instituciones externas, presentan dificultades para comprender estados mentales propios que incluyen situaciones traumáticas. Este déficit en la capacidad de pensamiento y de reflexión se replica en el discurso de las madres. La interrelación de ambos métodos facilita una mejor comprensión desde la teoría psicoanalítica del proceso de pensamiento de un adolescente con vulnerabilidad psicosocial y su madre. (AU)

In this article the thought process of a violent adolescent with psychosocial vulnerability in therapeutic interaction with his mother will be analyzed. The discourse of the adolescent and his mother will be analyzed in a joint session that is part of a diagnostic-group therapy device. The methods that will be applied are the David Liberman Algorithm (DLA) that allows to analyze wishes, predominant defenses, preconscious-conscious thoughts and its flaws and the Reflective Function Manual (RF) that allows to analyze the level of mentalization. Since violent adolescents undergo therapeutic treatment in external institutions, they have difficulties in understanding own mental states that involve traumatic situations. This deficit in the ability of thinking and reflection is reflected in the speech of their mothers. The interrelation of both methods facilitates a better understanding from the psychoanalytic theory of the thought processes of adolescents with psychosocial vulnerability and their mothers. (AU)

[From the perinatal period to adolescence: the three stages of coordination]. / De la périnatalité à l'adolescence : trois temps d'articulation.

The need for coordinated organisation between infant-child psychiatry and adult psychiatry is highlighted through key periods, with the aid of a clinical case: the perinatal period and the hospitalisation of a mother with her child; the psychiatric support of the unwell mother and that of her daughter; then the transition for the 16-year-old teenager towards adult psychiatry. Taking into consideration the mother-child bond is essential and requires collaborative care projects, the creation of opportunities for joint reflection and organisation, and the acknowledgement that internal institutional divisions exist which are too often denied.

Relação simbiótica patológica entre mãe-filho e o processo de aprendizagem / Pathological symbiotic relationship between mother-child and the learning process

Este estudo de caso teve como objetivo principal compreender as relações existentes entre o vínculo simbiótico patológico entre mãe-filho e o processo de aprendizagem da criança, cuja hipótese incidia na importância do rompimento desse vínculo para o favorecimento da aprendizagem. Participaram da pesquisa 16 estagiários do curso de graduação em Psicopedagogia que atendiam pacientes com dificuldades de aprendizagem na Clínica-Escola do Centro Universitário FIEO. Cada estagiário respondeu 3 questionários contendo perguntas referente à caracterização dos pacientes atendidos na clínica; às suas percepções acerca do tipo de vínculo estabelecido entre mãe-filho percebido na anamnese; e as modalidades de aprendizagem patológicas dos pacientes, totalizando 48 questionários coletados. Os dados foram descritos e relacionados aos objetivos propostos na análise realizada. Os resultados principais sugerem que o vínculo simbiótico patológico entre mãe-criança é apenas um fator presente em crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem, mas não um fator determinante. Há necessidade de realização de estudos comparativos para estudar a problemática

The main objective of this research was to understand the relationship between the symbiotic pathological bond between mother / child and the child's learning process, whose hypothesis focused on the importance of breaking the bond to favor learning. Participated in this study 16 trainees from the Graduation Course in Psychopedagogic that attended patients with learning difficulties in the Clinic-Schoolof the Centro Universitário FIEO. Each trainee answered 3 questionnaires containing questions regarding the characterization of the patients attended at the clinic; their perceptions about the type of bond established between the mother-child perceived in the anamnesis; and the pathological learning modalities of the patients, totaling 48 questionnaires collected. The data were described and related to the objectives proposed in the analysis performed. The main results suggest that the symbiotic pathological bond between mother / child is only a factor present in children with learning difficulties, but not a determining factor. There is a need for comparativestudies to study the problem

Relação simbiótica patológica entre mãe-filho e o processo de aprendizagem / Pathological symbiotic relationship between mother-child and the learning process

Este estudo de caso teve como objetivo principal compreender as relações existentes entre o vínculo simbiótico patológico entre mãe-filho e o processo de aprendizagem da criança, cuja hipótese incidia na importância do rompimento desse vínculo para o favorecimento da aprendizagem. Participaram da pesquisa 16 estagiários do curso de graduação em Psicopedagogia que atendiam pacientes com dificuldades de aprendizagem na Clínica-Escola do Centro Universitário FIEO. Cada estagiário respondeu 3 questionários contendo perguntas referente à caracterização dos pacientes atendidos na clínica; às suas percepções acerca do tipo de vínculo estabelecido entre mãe-filho percebido na anamnese; e as modalidades de aprendizagem patológicas dos pacientes, totalizando 48 questionários coletados. Os dados foram descritos e relacionados aos objetivos propostos na análiserealizada. Os resultados principais sugerem que o vínculo simbiótico patológico entre mãe-criança é apenas um fator presente em crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem, mas não um fator determinante. Há necessidade de realização de estudos comparativos para estudar a problemática.(AU)

The main objective of this research was to understand the relationship between the symbiotic pathological bond between mother / child and the child's learning process, whose hypothesis focused on the importance of breaking the bond to favor learning. Participated in this study 16 trainees from the Graduation Course in Psychopedagogic that attended patients with learning difficulties in the Clinic-Schoolof the Centro Universitário FIEO. Each trainee answered 3 questionnaires containing questions regarding the characterization of the patients attended at the clinic; their perceptions about the type of bond established between the mother-child perceived in the anamnesis; and the pathological learning modalities of the patients, totaling 48 questionnaires collected. The data were described and related to the objectives proposed in the analysis performed. The main results suggest that the symbiotic pathological bond between mother / child is only a factor present in children with learning difficulties, but not a determining factor. There is a need for comparativestudies to study the problem.(AU)

A experiência do método canguru vivenciada pelas mães em uma maternidade pública de Maceió/Al Brasil / The experience of kangaroo mother care method by mothers in a public maternity home in Maceió / Al, Brazil

Resumen:

Introducción: el método canguro (MC) se define como un tipo de cuidado neonatal que involucra el contacto temprano piel con piel entre la madre y el recién nacido de bajo peso, de forma creciente, de manera que ambos sientan que es placentero y efectivo y permitiendo así una mayor participación de los padres en el cuidado de su recién nacido (1). El método se menciona como una es- trategia para aumentar la lactancia materna, la confianza en el cuidado del hijo y promover el establecimiento de vínculos y apego (2,3).Objetivo: relatar la experiencia vivida por las madres en un programa de método canguro en una maternidad pública.Método: estudio de campo descriptivo y exploratorio con enfoque cualitativo, que incluye la entrevista de 10 madres con niños en tratamiento en el método canguro, utilizando un cuestionario previamente preparado y entrevistas grabadas para el registro de los datos.Resultados: se constata que el sentimiento predominante referido por las madres en el método canguro es la felicidad, destacando la mejora en la relación de afecto entre madre e hijo. Las madres expresan que no tienen suficiente conocimiento acerca de la im- portancia real del método canguro, resultando evidente la falta de conocimiento sobre el mismo. Por lo tanto, parece que, de acuerdo con los informes de las madres sobre lo que ha cambiado después de la experiencia en el método canguro, hay una mejora en la re- lación entre madre e hijo.Conclusión: las madres con niños en tratamiento en el método canguro no son conscientes de la importancia real del método y su contribución a la reducción de la tasa de mortalidad infantil.

Importância do acolhimento humanizado às mães na visita ao filho em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal: relato de experiência / Importance of humanized welcome to the mothers when visiting the child in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: experience report / Importancia de la acogida humanizada a las madres en la visita del hijo a una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatal: informe experiencia

Objetivo: descrever a vivência de uma graduanda de enfermagem durante as atividades realizadas no estágio na UTI Neonatal (UTIN) do Hospital Geral Clériston Andrade. Método: Estudo descritivo e observacional realizado durante as atividades práticas da enfermeiranda, no período de novembro/2013 a abril/2014, ressaltando a importância do acolhimento humanizado às mães na visita ao filho em uma UTIN através de ações de cunho educativo e sensibilizador a fim de incentivá-las a fazer parte do processo de cuidar dos seus filhos neste local. Resultados: as ações realizadas permitiram que as mães e os profissionais participassem da atividade para que cada um entendesse a sua importância na saúde do bebê. Conclusão: diante das ações apresentadas, percebeu-se o entendimento das mães como parte integrante na recuperação do filho e permitiu que os profissionais fossem instigados a ter um novo olhar a respeito do tema.(AU)

Objective: to describe the experience of a nursing graduate student during activities performed on internship at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Hospital Geral Clériston Andrade. Method: this is a descriptive observational study conducted during the practical activities of that nursing student from November/2013 to April/2014 emphasizing the importance of humanized welcome to mothers when visiting the child in a NICU through educational and sensitizing actions, in order to encourage them to take part in the care process of their children in that unit. Results: the actions performed have allowed mothers and professionals to participate in the activity, allowing each to understand their importance for the baby's health. Conclusion: in face of the presented actions, we perceived understanding of mothers as components of the recovery of the child and this allowed professionals to be instigated to have a new look on the subject.(AU)

Objetivo: describir la experiencia de una graduanda de enfermería durante las actividades realizadas en la pasantía en UTI Neonatal (UTIN) del Hospital General Clériston Andrade. Método: Estudio descriptivo y observacional realizado durante las actividades prácticas de enfermera, en el período de noviembre/2013 a abril/2014, resaltando la importancia de la acogida humanizada a las madres en la visita al hijo en una UTIN a través de acciones educativas y sensibilizadoras a fin de incentivarlas a hacer parte del proceso de cuidar de sus hijos en este local. Resultados: las acciones realizadas permitieron que las madres y los profesionales participen de la actividad para que cada uno entendiese su importancia en la salud del bebe. Conclusión: frente a las acciones presentadas, se nota el entendimiento de las madres como parte integrante en la recuperación del hijo y permitió que los profesionales fuesen instigados a tener una nueva visión del tema.(AU)

Maternal face processing in Mosuo preschool children.

Instinctively responding to maternal face is an evolutionary function of enhancing survival and development. However, because of the confounding nature of familiarity, little is known concerning the neural mechanism involved in maternal face recognition. We had a rare opportunity to examine Mosuo preschool children who were raised in a matrilineal society in which mothers and aunts represent equally familiar faces to the children. The participants were exposed to photographs of their mother's face, aunt's face, and an unfamiliar female's faces during electroencephalography (EEG) recording. The EEG results showed that the mother's face elicited a more negative N1 component, a larger left N170 component, and a larger P300 component; both the mother's and aunt's faces elicited a larger right N170 component. These results suggest that the emotional attachment between mother and child has neural ramifications across three successive face processing stages that are distinguished from the neural effects of facial familiarity.

Intervenciones psicológicas perinatales en depresión materna y vínculo madre-bebé: una revisión sistemática / Psychological perinatal interventions in maternal depression and mother-child bond: a systematic review

La depresión perinatal constituye un trastorno de alta prevalencia con repercusiones negativas en la madre y en el bebé. A partir de estos antecedentes se revisa la literatura existente sobre intervenciones psicológicas focalizadas en reducir la depresión y/o favorecer un vínculo madre-infante positivo desde el embarazo hasta los dos años del niño/a. Se consideran 27 estudios publicados entre los años 1996 y 2012, que incluyen grupos experimental y control. Los resultados muestran que un mayor número de intervenciones se focalizan en la depresión perinatal como variable, distinguiendo entre intervenciones en el embarazo y postparto. Un menor número de estudios se dirige a la calidad del vínculo madre-infante y a ambas variables. Las intervenciones reportadas como exitosas, incluyen intervenciones grupales e individuales dirigidas a favorecer la sensibilidad materna y técnicas corporales.

Perinatal depression constitutes a high prevalence disorder, with negative repercussions in the mother and the baby. From these precedents, this article reviews different psychological interventions developed to reduce depression and/or to promote a mother-infant bond-quality, from pregnancy to children's second year of life. There are considered 27 studies published between 1996 and 2012, with inclusion of experimental and control groups. Results show that most of the interventions are focused in perinatal depression as a variable, differentiating between interventions during pregnancy and at postpartum. A minor number of studies focused on the mother-baby bond quality and to modify both variables in a simultaneous way. Interventions that were reported to be successful considered group and individual interventions focused on promoting maternal sensitivity and corporal techniques.

Mom feels what her child feels: thermal signatures of vicarious autonomic response while watching children in a stressful situation.

Maternal attunement with an infant's emotional states is thought to represent a distinctive feature of the human primary bond. It implies the mother's ability of empathizing with her child in order to fulfil the child's needs in an immediate and appropriate manner. Thus, it is particularly involved in stressful situations. By assuming that maternal attunement embodies a direct sharing of physiological responses with the child, we compared the autonomic response of mothers observing their own distressed child with those of other women observing an unknown child involved in an ecological distressful condition (mishap paradigm). The hypothesis was that the adult's response was more attuned with the child's response in the former group than in the latter group. The autonomic response was non-invasively evaluated through the recording of the thermal facial imprints by means of thermal infrared (IR) imaging. Nine mother-child dyads and 9 woman-unknown child dyads were studied. We found marked similarities between the facial temperature dynamics of women and children along the experimental procedure, thus providing evidence for a direct emotional sharing within the adult-child dyad. The evidence for common dynamics in the time course of the temperatures was assessed through correlation analysis and, nevertheless, resulted stronger in the mother-child dyads than in the other women-child dyads. In addition, temporal analysis showed a faster response in mothers than in other women, thus confirming our study hypothesis. Besides confirming the extraordinary capability of IR imaging to preserve ecological context in the study of social or non-verbal interactions, these results suggest that maternity appears to potentiate the emotional attunement with the child. Although based on preliminary results, this study opens new perspectives in the study of the factors modulating vicarious socio-emotional processes.

Estilos de apego y representaciones maternas durante el embarazo / Attachment style and maternal representations during pregnancy

Various authors support the theory that the mother-child bond begins in gestation, through a mental representation which the mother constructs during pregnancy. This image would be based on their own childhood experience, which lays the foundation for the transgenerational transmission of the attachment relationship type that will be formed. Objective: To study the relationship between the pregnant mother's history of attachment and her attachment style during pregnancy, including the types of images formed about her future son or daughter as well as herself as a mother. Patients and Method: Three first time pregnant women with different attachment styles were identified through the Parental Bonding Instrument. An in-depth interview was performed with each individual. Flick's adaptation of Grounded Theory was applied during data analysis. Results show that differences exist both in the thematic contents as in the quality, quantity and coherence of their representations depending upon the attachment style. Discussion: These results contribute to the knowledge of the representational world of the pregnant woman, allowing for improved prenatal interventions that will promote secure mother-child attachment.

De acuerdo a diversos autores, el vínculo madre-hijo se inicia desde la gestación, a través de las representaciones que la madre va construyendo durante el embarazo. Dichas representaciones estarían ancladas en su propia experiencia de apego en la infancia, lo que sentaría las bases de la transmisión transgeneracional de los vínculos de apego. Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre el estilo de apego de la madre y el tipo de representaciones que ésta construye acerca del hijo en gestación, de sí misma como madre y de su propia historia de apego, durante el embarazo. Pacientes y Método: Estudio cualitativo con análisis interpretativo de los datos. Se seleccionaron 3 mujeres primigestas, con distintos estilos vinculares, identificados a través del Parental Bondig Instrument, a las cuales se les realizó una entrevista semi-estructurada, en función de una pauta guía que contenía los principales ejes teóricos del estudio. Para el análisis de los datos, se utilizó la adaptación de Flick de la Grounded Theory. Resultados: Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias tanto en los contenidos temáticos, como en la calidad, cantidad y coherencia de las representaciones maternas, dependiendo del estilo vincular. Conclusión: Los resultados aportan al conocimiento del mundo representacional de la mujer embarazada, lo cual permite el desarrollo de intervenciones prenatales para promover el establecimiento apego seguro madre-hijo.