Predicting Maternal Attachment: The Role of Emotion Regulation and Resilience during Pregnancy

Abstract

Purpose: Evidence suggests that maternal attachment (MA) is both a developmental task of pregnancy and an indicator of compliance with pregnancy and associated with prenatal health. Understanding all aspects of attachment will contribute to improving our understanding of developing preventions. Methods: The study design was prospective cohort study. The relationship between emotion regulation skills or psychological resilience of pregnant women in the second or third trimester period and postpartum MA was investigated. After written consent was obtained, two interviews were completed with the participants. In the first interview, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Brief Form (DERS), Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was applied to all participants. In the second interview, the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) was applied to the participants in the 30-40 days postpartum period. Results: Of the 120 women recruited, 77 completed two interviews. A negative correlation between MAI scores and DERS scores (p=0.001) and a positive correlation between MAI scores and CD-RISC scores (p<0.001) were found. It was performed multiple linear regression analysis to determine the best predictive factors of the MA and found individuals who breastfeed and individuals with higher resilience have higher MA. Logistic regression analysis performed to determine the best predictive factor of breast-feeding and found individuals with lower difficulties in emotion regulation breastfeed their children. Conclusion: This study obtained evidence to suggest the psychological benefits of psychological resilience and emotion regulation skills and breast‐feeding for MA. It also found that breast‐feeding and psychological resilience predict MA in the postpartum period and emotion regulation skills predict breastfeeding.

Keywords

• Emotion Regulation
• Resilience
• Breast Feeding
• Maternal Attachment

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