Postpartum-Specific Anxiety and Maternal-Infant Bonding: A Predictive Validity Study amongst Italian Women

• Main Authors: Chiara Ionio (Author), Giulia Ciuffo (Author), Paul Christiansen (Author), Anna Maria Della Vedova (Author), Victoria Fallon (Author), Maria Francesca Figlino (Author), Marta Landoni (Author), Sergio A. Silverio (Author), Martina Smorti (Author), Alessandra Bramante (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

The role of anxiety is unknown in relation to postpartum bonding, unlike the well-known detrimental effect that postpartum depression has on the relationship between a mother and child. This study investigates how anxiety affects mother-infant bonding after childbirth, comparing the Italian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS-IT) with generalized measures of anxiety. Examining 324 non-randomly-selected participants responding to various scales, including the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), postpartum-specific anxiety scale (PSAS-IT), postpartum bonding questionnaire (PBQ), and baby care questionnaire (BCQ-2), initial results suggest a link between certain postpartum anxiety symptoms and attachment problems. Surprisingly, anxiety measured with the PSAS has no direct influence on attachment; however, it is a strong predictor of bonding, even when maternal age, general anxiety, and depression are taken into account, explaining 3% of the variance in scores (β = 0.26, <i>p</i> < 0.001). This emphasizes the importance of early identification and intervention of postpartum anxiety in promoting bonding between mother and child.

Item Description

10.3390/ejihpe14060107
2254-9625
2174-8144