IMPROVING PERINATAL MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH A REFLECTIVE PARENTING HOME VISITING PROGRAM

Laura Vismara

;Cristina Sechi;Loredana Lucarelli

2022-01-01

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Abstract

Maternal Reflective Functioning (RF) has proved to be among the strongest predictors of the child's development. Our study aimed at evaluating the effects of a reflective parenting home visiting program (RPHVP) in first-time mothers at risk for depression, anxiety, and parenting stress, from three to 12 months after their child's birth. 72 $rst-time mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Parenting Stress Index-SF at 3, 6 and 12 months of their infants (53% boys and 47% girls). Thirty-six mothers were allocated to the RPHVP, the other 36 constituted the control group, who received routine primary care and a marginal, limited psychosocial intervention through telephone calls. A significant higher decrease of depression, anxiety and parenting stress was shown among mothers undergoing RPHVP, compared to the control group. RPHVP seems to foster the mothers capacity to acknowledge and regulate her own mental states; such experience may in turn promote her capacity to tolerate and regulate her child inner experiences, enhancing mother-child’s functioning