Abstract
Questions have been raised concerning the long range effects of interference with healthy bonding and attachment between high risk mother-infant dyads. A tool observing maternal behaviors of high risk mother/infant dyads (mothers of infants with BW <1500 gm N 69 and teenage mothers N 26) in a set situation was evaluated and the results compared with a control group of 30 mothers of normal infants. All mother/infant dyads had the same ethnic and socioeconomic background. Mothers were observed for response to their infants by sensory contact behaviors directed to releasing infant stress. Visual, verbal, physical contact and facial expression were evaluated. Test results showed that maternal contact resulting in infant stressing reduction was reduced in all areas described above for teenage mothers and mothers of LBW infants when compared to control mothers. Only 7.8% of teenage mothers gave verbal support to their infants compared with 35% of LBW infant mothers and 78% of control mothers. Warm physical contact was evidenced by 4% of teenage mothers compared with 19.3% for LBW infant/mothers and 28.3% for the control group. The study results indicate decreased effective maternal stress reducing behaviors in high risk mothers when compared with normal controls. This was more marked in teenage mothers than LBW infant mothers.
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Teberg, A., Howeil, V., Wingert, W. et al. 98 EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTACT BEHAVIORS IN STRESS REDUC TION BY HIGH-RISK INFANT MOTHERS WITH THEIR YEAR OLD INFANTS. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 456 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00107
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00107