Maternal sensitivity in adolescent mothers. Documentation of an experience with Brazilian teenage mothers lived in multi-problematic contexts

Journal title PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE
Author/s Morena Muzi, Alessandra Fermani, Carla Canestrari, Antonina Ballerini, Gonzalo del Moral Arroyo
Publishing Year 2022 Issue 2022/2 Language Italian
Pages 20 P. 109-128 File size 278 KB
DOI 10.3280/PDS2022-002007
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

The authors address the issue of maternal sensitivity in adolescent mothers who are victims of mistreatment and abuse. The purpose of the study is to explore the quality of the dyadic relationship; in particular, the quality of maternal sensitivity in adolescence and its relationship with early traumatic experiences. For this purpose, the research team was selected a sample of 4 young Brazilian adolescent mothers aged between 16 and 17 years, with children aged between 6 and 12 months. The mothers were observed together with their children in spontaneous play situations and evaluated through the CARE-Index. The tool offers a interesting phenomenology of behavior indices that allows an relevant qualitative analysis. The mothers, observed in the relationship with their child, were often disoriented, in need of recognition, not attuned, with evident feelings of inadequacy, but not of renouncing to play their maternal role. This discontinuity, this non-deterministic relationship between early trauma and maternal sensitivity, represents the most interesting aspect of the experience presented, favors a deepening of the issue and an experimentation of psychoeducational interventions.

Keywords: maternal sensitivity, adolescent mothers, mind-mindedness, maltreatment, CARE-Index.

  1. Ainsworth M.D.S. (1985), Pattern of infant-mother attachment: antecedents effects on development. Bullettin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 61: 771-791.
  2. Ainsworth M.S.D., Blehar M.C., Waters E. and Wall S. (1978). Patterns of Attachment. Psychological Study of Strange Situation. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. DOI: 10.4324/978131580242
  3. Attili G. (2017). Il cervello in amore. Le donne e gli uomini ai tempi delle neuroscienze. Bologna: il Mulino.
  4. Baudry C., Tarabulsy G.M., Atkinson L., Pearson J. and St-Pierre A. (2017). Intervention with adolescent mother–child dyads and cognitive development in early childhood: a meta-analysis. Prevention Science, 18 (1): 116-130.
  5. Belsky J. (1997). Theory testing, effective-size evaluation and differential susceptibility to rearing influence: The case of mothering and attachment. Child Development, 68(4): 598-600.
  6. Berlin L.J., Brady-Smith C. and Brooks-Gunn J. (2002). Links between childbearing age and observed maternal behaviours with 14‐month‐olds in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. Infant Mental Health Journal, 23(1‐2): 104-129.
  7. Boustani M.M., Frazier, S.L. Hartley, C., Meinzer, M. and Hedemann, E. (2015). Perceived benefits and proposed solutions forteen pregnancy: Qualitative interviews with youth careworkers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1): 80-92.
  8. Bowlby J. (1989). The role of attachment in personality development and psychopathology. In: Greenspan S.I. and Pollock G.H. (eds.), The course of life, Vol. 1. Infancy. International Universities Press, Inc., pp. 229-270 (Reprinted from American Journal of Psychiatry, 1987, Vol. 144; and from American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1982, Vol. 52).
  9. Bravo D.Y., Umaña-Taylor A.J., Guimond A.B., Updegraff K.A. and Jahromi L.B. (2014). Familism, family ethnic socialization, and Mexican-origin adolescent mothers’ educational adjustment. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(3): 389-400.
  10. Camaioni L. (2001). Il contributo della Teoria della Mente alla comprensione dello sviluppo umano. Giornale Italiano Di Psicologia, 3: 455-476. DOI: 10.1421/35
  11. Camberis A.L., McMahon C.A., Gibson F.L. and Boivin J. (2016). Maternal age, psychological maturity, parenting cognitions, and mother-infant interaction. Infancy, 21: 396-422.
  12. Cena L., Imbasciati A., Baldoni F. (2012). Prendersi cura dei bambini e dei loro genitori. Springer: Milano.
  13. Colonnesi C. (2021). “Mind-mindedness: La mentalizzazione nella relazione tra genitore e bambino e i suoi effetti a breve e lungo termine”. Relazione al XXXIII Congresso Nazionale AIP –Sezione di Psicologia dello sviluppo e dell’Educazione, Bari 20-23 settembre.
  14. Colonnesi C., Konijn C., Kroneman L., Lindauer R.J.L. and Stams G.J.J.M. (2021). Mind-mindedness in out-of-home Care for Children: Implications for caregivers and child. Current Psychology, 1-13.
  15. Colonnesi C., Zeegers M.A.J., Majdandžić M. van Steensel F.J.A. and Bögels S.M. (2019). Fathers’ and Mothers’ Early Mind-Mindedness Predicts Social Competence and Behavior Problems in Childhood. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47: 1421-1435.
  16. Crittenden P.M. (1979-2004). CARE–Index: Coding Manual. Unpublished manuscript, Miami: F.L.
  17. Crittenden P.M. (1997). Pericolo, sviluppo e adattamento. Milano: Masson.
  18. Crittenden P.M. (2014). Care-Index. In: Lambruschi F. (a cura di), Psicoterapia cognitiva dell’età evolutiva. Torino: Boringhieri, pp. 150-182.
  19. Easterbrooks M.A., Chaudhuri J.H. and Gestdottir S. (2005). Patterns of emotional availability among young mothers and their infants: a dyadic, contextual analysis. Infant Mental health Journal, 26(4): 309-326.
  20. Emde R.N. (2013). Gli affetti nello sviluppo del Sé infantile. In: Ammaniti M. e Dazzi N. (eds.). Affetti. Natura e sviluppo delle relazioni interpersonali. Bari: Laterza, pp. 154-176.
  21. Fonagy P. (2005). Comprensione degli stati mentali, interazione madre-bambino e sviluppo del sé. In: Maldonado-Duràn J.M., Infanzia e salute mentale. Modelli di intervento clinico. Milano: Raffaello Cortina, pp. 65-84.
  22. Gazzotti S., Spinelli M., Albizzati A. e Riva Crugnola C. (2010). Maternità in età adolescenziale: attaccamento materno, stili di interazione, stati affettivi e coordinazione affettiva tra madre e bambino. Età Evolutiva, 96: 64-67.
  23. Grussu P., Dal Bello A., Quatraro R.M. (2019). Salute psicologica perinatale in donne con storie infantili di abuso sessuale, maltrattamento e trascuratezza: una rassegna sistematica qualitativa. Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, a. XXIII, 2: 175-200.
  24. Gustafsson H.C., Coffman J.L. and Cox M.J. (2015). Intimate partner violence, maternal sensitive parenting behaviors, and children’s executive functioning. Psychology of Violence, 5(3): 266-274.
  25. Guttentag C.L., Landry S.H., Williams J.M., Baggett K.M., Noria C.W., Borkowski J.G. and Ramey S.L. (2014). “My baby & me”: Effects of anearly, comprehensive parenting intervention on at-risk mothers and their children. Developmental Psychology, 50(5): 1482-1496.
  26. Hillis S.D., Anda R.F., Dube S.R., Felitti V.J., Marchbanks P.A., Marks J.S. (2004). The association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent pregnancy, long-term psychosocial consequences, and fetal death. Pediatrics, 113(2): 320-327.
  27. IBGE (2016). Informe Nacional del Instituto Brasileño de Geografía y Estadística. Disponibile in -- https://ww2.ibge.gov.br
  28. Ierardi E., Gazzotti S., Albizzati A., Riva Crugnola C. (2018). Disponibilità emotiva e attaccamento materno in diadi con madri adolescenti e diadi con madri adulte nelle interazioni a 3 mesi. Psicologia Clinica Dello Sviluppo, 1: 93-114. Bologna: il Mulino. DOI: 10.1449/8958
  29. Kast M.J., Farkas C., Vallotton C.D. (2017). Diferencias en sensibilidad parental entre madres y padres de Chile y Estados Unidos. Psicoperspectivas, 16(3): 137-148.
  30. Lambruschi F. e Lionetti F. (2015). La genitorialità. Strumenti di valutazione e interventi di sostegno. Roma: Carocci.
  31. Leerkes, E M. and Zhou, N. (2018). Maternal sensitivity to distress and attachment outcomes: Interactions with sensitivity to nondistress and infant temperament. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(6): 753-761.
  32. Letourneau N., Morris C.Y., Stewart M., Hughes J., Critchley K.A. and Secco L. (2013). Social support needs identified by mothers affected by intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(14): 2873-2893. DOI: 10.1177/088626051348868
  33. Lezzi A.C. (2015). Madri adolescenti: uno studio clínico. Psychofenia, 31, 121-166.
  34. Manning L.G., Davies P.T. and Cicchetti D. (2014). Interparental violence and childhood adjustment: How and why maternal sensitivity is a protective factor. Child Development, 85(6): 2263-2278.
  35. Meins E. (2013). Sensitive attunement to infants’ internal states: operationalizing the construct of mind-mindedness. Attachment & Human Development, 15: 5-6, 524-544.  DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2013.830388
  36. Meltzer-Brody S., Bledsoe-Mansori S.E., Johnson N., Killian C., Hamer R.M., Jackson C., Wessel J., Thorp J. (2013). A prospective study of perinatal depression and trauma history in pregnant minority adolescents. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 208(3): 211.e1-211.e7.
  37. Muzik M., London Bocknek E., Broderick A., Richardson P., Rosenblum K.L., Thelen K., Seng J.S. (2013). Mother-infant bonding impairment across the first six months postpartum: The primacy of psychopathology in women with childhood abuse and neglect histories. Archives of Womens Mental Health,16(1): 29-38.
  38. Raby K.L., Roisman G.I., Fraley R.C. and Simpson J.A. (2015). Theen during predictive significance of early maternal sensitivity: Social and academic competence through age 32 years. Child Development, 86(3): 695-708.
  39. Riva Crugnola C., Ierardi E., Albizzati A., Downing G. (2016). Effectiveness of an attachment-based intervention program in promoting emotion regulation and attachment in adolescent mothers and their infants: a pilot study. Frontiers Psychology, 7: 195. 
  40. Riva Crugnola C., Ierardi E., Canevini M.P. (2018). Reflective functioning, maternal attachment, mind-mindedness, and emotional availability in adolescent and adult mothers at infant 3 months. Attachment & Human Development, 20(1): 84-106.  DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2017.137954
  41. Riva Crugnola C., Ierardi E., Peruta V., Moioli M., Albizzati A. (2019) Video-feedback attachment based intervention aimed at adolescent and young mothers: effectiveness on infant-mother interaction and maternal mind-mindedness. Early Child Development Care, 1-15.  DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2019.165217
  42. Riva Crugnola C., Ierardi E., Prino L.E., Brustia P., Cena L., Rollè L. (2020). Early styles of interaction in mother-twin infant dyads and maternal mental health. Arch Womens Ment Health, 23: 665-671.
  43. Santelices M.P., Farkas C., Montoya M.F., Galleguillos F., Carvacho C., Fernández A., Morales L. y Taboada C. and Himmel E. (2015). Factores predictivos de sensibilidad materna en infancia temprana. Psicoperspectivas, 14(1): 66-76.
  44. Sexton M.B., Hamilton L., McGinnis E.W., Rosenblum K.L., Muzik M. (2015). The roles of resilience and childhood trauma history: Main andmoderating effects on postpartum maternal mental health and functioning. Journal of Affective Disorders, 174: 562-568.
  45. Shahar-Maharik T., Oppenheim D. and Koren-Karie N. (2018). Adolescent insight fulness toward a close friend: its roots in maternal insightfulness and child attachment in infancy. Attachment & Human Development, 20(3): 237-254. DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2018.144673
  46. Shai D., Meins E. (2018). Parental Embodied Mentalizing and its Relation to Mind-Mindedness, Sensitivity, and Attachment Security. Infancy, 23 (6): 857-872.
  47. Solivan A.E., Wallace M.E., Kaplan K.C. and Harville E.W. (2015). Use of a resiliency framework to examine pregnancy and birth outcomes among adolescents: A qualitative study. Families, Systems, & Health, 33(4): 349-355.
  48. Stern D.N. (1998) Le interazioni madre-bambino nello sviluppo e nella clinica. Milano: Raffaello Cortina.
  49. Stern D.N. (2005) Il momento presente in psicoterapia e nella vita quotidiana. Milano: Raffaello Cortina.
  50. Suttora C., Spinelli M., Aureli T., Fasolo M., Lionetti F., Picciolini O., Ravasi M., Salerni N. (2020). Mind-Mindedness and Parenting Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Cohort of Mothers of 3-Month-Old Full-Term and Preterm Infants. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17: 7735.
  51. Whiteside-Mansell L., Bradley R.H. and McKelvey L. (2009). Parenting and preschool child development: Examination of three low-income US cultural groups. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 18(1): 48-60.
  52. Zeegers M.A., Colonnesi C., Stams G.J.J. and Meins E. (2017). Mindmatters: A meta-analysis on parental mentalization and sensitivity as predictors of infant–parent attachment. Psychological Bulletin, 143(12): 1245-1272.

Morena Muzi, Alessandra Fermani, Carla Canestrari, Antonina Ballerini, Gonzalo del Moral Arroyo, La sensibilità materna nelle madri adolescenti. Documentazione di una esperienza con madri brasiliane vissute in contesti multiproblematici in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 2/2022, pp 109-128, DOI: 10.3280/PDS2022-002007