Stati mentali materni rispetto all’attaccamento e qualità dei pattern interattivi in un campione di bambini a rischio di maltrattamento

GUARINO S;TRENTINI C;SPERANZA A. M;VISMARA, LAURA

2009-01-01

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Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate maternal internal working models and the quality of interactive patterns in a sample of children at high risk for maltreatment. Method: By means of a specific Anamnestic and Socio-demographic Card, 20 at-risk dyads and 20 dyads with no risk condition have been selected. The group at risk for maltreatment was recruited within residential care homes. Dyads had been referred to these homes by social services in order to evaluate the quality of infant caregiving environment. The group with no risk condition has been selected within several infant services in Rome. Adult Attachment Interview-AAI has been administered to all mothers; furthermore, free dyadic interactive exchanges were observed and video-recorded. Interactive exchanges were coded using apposite scales of evaluation of mother-infant interaction. Reflective Function Scale was then applied to the AAI transcripts. Results: In at-risk group, 70 percent of mothers report a number of risk factors ranging from 6 to 9, whereas in not-risk group mothers present a number of risk factors ranging from 0 to 3. Results evidence statistically different distributions of attachment internal working models in the two groups of mothers (χ²=9.89; df=2; p<0.05). In addition, in mother-infant dyads at risk for maltreatment higher problematic relational modalities have been observed, with respect to all the interactive dimensions: Sensitivity (F(1;38)=33.24; p<0.001), Interference (F(1;38)=25.73; p<0.001), Affective Maternal State (F(1;38)=53.13; p<0.001), Self-Regulatory Behaviors (F(1;38)=21.40; p<0.001), Infant Affective State (F(1;38)=36.73; p<0.001), Cooperation (F(1;38)=21.75; p<0.001). The quality of the interactive patterns seems to be influenced by maternal attachment model. In fact, mothers with a secure state of mind respect to attachment tend to utilize more sensitive interactive modalities. In addition, also maternal reflective function is correlated to maternal attachment model (χ²=14.07, p<0.01). No significant differences were observed in the level of reflective function with respect to the risk status (Z=-1.58, n.s.). Conclusions: Results confirm the necessity to analyze the risk for infant maltreatment, by considering a large spectrum of variables, both psychological and socio-environmental ones, in order to promote supporting programs for maltreating parenting