Psychophysiological responses underlying unresolved loss and trauma in the Adult Attachment Interview.

Unresolved loss/trauma in the context of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) has been theorised to result from dissociative processing of fear-related memories and ideas. To examine the plausibility of this model, this study tested hypothesised associations between unresolved loss/trauma and indicators of autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity. First-time pregnant women (N = 235) participated in the AAI while heart rate (interbeat interval; IBI) and indicators of parasympathetic reactivity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) and sympathetic reactivity (pre-ejection period; PEP, skin conductance level; SCL) were recorded.

Early Breastfeeding Experiences Predict Maternal Self-Efficacy During the Transition to Parenthood.

Breastfeeding can be challenging for new mothers. Women with high breastfeeding self-efficacy are more likely to breastfeed with confidence and are more likely to succeed in breastfeeding. The aim of this prospective longitudinal study was to test whether breastfeeding self-efficacy and breastfeeding experiences were related to trajectories of self-efficacy in the parenting domain during the transition to parenthood.

Weakened Resilience in Parenting Self-Efficacy in Pregnant Women Who Were Abused in Childhood: An Experimental Test.

This study tested experimentally whether the combination of a history of childhood abuse and confrontation with difficult infant temperament is associated with negative changes in parenting self-efficacy. First-time pregnant women (N = 243) participated in the Adult Attachment Interview, which was used to assess the occurrence of abuse by parents in childhood and unresolved representations, and completed a task asking them to respond to infant cries. Sixty of the 243 participants (25%) experienced childhood abuse, mostly physical or sexual.

Prenatal changes in parenting self-efficacy: linkages with anxiety and depressive symptoms in primiparous women.

The aim of the study was to examine parenting self-efficacy in relation to depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. Five hundred thirty-three first-time pregnant women completed questionnaires at 12, 22, and 32 weeks of pregnancy that measure parenting self-efficacy, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Parenting self-efficacy increased slightly but significantly over the course of pregnancy.