Mother-Infant Group Intervention on Maternal Depression and Bonding: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVES: Parent-Infant Psychotherapy (PIP) aims at improving the interaction between parents and their infants. Group intervention has advantages in facilitating universality, support, and social learning. However, the researches on PIP adoption in a group format are limited. This study aims to explore the outcome of a mother-infant group on bonding and maternal depression. METHODS: Eighty-two infant mothers with subjective distress on parenting or depressed mood were recruited to participate in the intervention group (IG). Another sample of one hundred and ninety-four postpartum women was recruited as the control group (CG). Instruments for outcome measure were the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), and Social Network Interaction System Questionnaire. Twelve courses of mother-infant groups were conducted for IG women. Each course consisted of twelve 90-min sessions. IG women joined the intervention with their infants and replied to the instruments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. CG women replied to the instruments at similar intervals. Primary data analyses were performed by the intent-to-treat analysis, ANOVA, and GEE. RESULTS: Relative to CG participants, the IG women experienced significant benefits in most mother-infant bonding scores at both post-intervention and follow-up (ps = .000 - .026). IG women also experienced a greater reduction in follow-up depressive symptoms measured by EPDS (p = .023). However, no significant reduction was noted on BDI-II. CONCLUSIONS: Mother-infant group intervention has preliminary effects on improving bonding and reducing depressive symptoms for women with infants. Further studies are warranted to replicate the results.

Literature indicates detrimental impacts of adverse bonding and maternal depression on children development. Parent-infant group psychotherapy suggests a positive effect on facilitating bonding and reducing depression severity. However, the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Since the treatment has never been applied in Taiwan, its effect and feasibility on Taiwanese women is unknown. The results established a preliminary positive outcome of parent-infant group on maternal bonding and depression. Also, by the first practice, we observe the participants have well motivation to join intervention with their infants and with other women. Parent-infant group is a promising treatment that warranted further exploration.

The Stafford Interview : A comprehensive interview for mother-infant psychiatry.

This article describes an interview exploring the social, psychological and psychiatric events in a single pregnancy and puerperium. It has been in development since 1992 and is now in its 6th edition. It takes approximately 2 h to administer and has 130 compulsory probes and 185 ratings. It is suitable for clinical practice, teaching and research.

The prediction of perceived parenting style on mother-infant bonding.

BACKGROUND: There are limited studies on the associations among parenting style, postpartum depression, and mother-infant bonding. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are investigating how the parenting style of maternal grandparents predicted the mothers' bonding with their infants. The mediating roles of postpartum depression were also explored. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A community sample of 227 postpartum women participated in this study. The participants primarily consisted of women who gave birth within six months (89.9%). METHODS: A cross-sectional and convenient sampling strategy was applied. Instruments were Parental Bonding Instrument, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, and Background Form. RESULTS: In the young infant group (i.e. mothers with infants not older than three months), the results indicated that maternal protection could predict "impaired bonding" (ß = 0.20, p < .05). This prediction was mediated by postpartum depression (ß = 0.32, p < .001). In the older infant group, paternal and maternal care could directly predict "rejection and anger" (ß = -0.20, -0.22 respectively, p < .05). Maternal protection could predict three bonding factors (ß = 0.25-0.29, p < .05, 0.01). Postpartum depression acted as total mediator for "impaired bonding"(ß = 0.45, p <. 001), and acted as partial mediators in "rejection and anger" and "anxiety about care" (ß = 0.45, 0.28, ps < .001, .01). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived parenting style (especially maternal protection) has impacts on adverse mother-infant bonding. Furthermore, the impact is more prominent on mothers of older infants. "Rejection and anger" could be the most vulnerable bonding factor affected by parenting style. Since postpartum depression mediates the predictions, interventions could concurrently address maternal parenting style and postpartum depression.