Mother-baby psychotherapy: An intervention in the context of prematurity

Abstract

This study aimed to describe a psychotherapeutic intervention performed with two mother-premature baby dyad during admission in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), including its impact on the maternal mentalizing and mother-infant interaction. Data were obtained through the Socio-Demographic and Clinical Data Sheet, History of Mother Life Interview, Free Interaction Mother-Baby Film, Hospitalization History Interview and the record of interventions. A qualitative analysis was carried out through four thematic axes: (a) the environment of interventions; (b) the start period, of observation and mother-infant interaction; (c) the final period of communication between mother and researcher; and (d) maternal perceptions of the intervention. The results indicated that the intervention provided changes in maternal mentalizing and increased the maternal sensitivity to the baby’s initial needs with a positive repercussion on the mother-baby interaction. The study highlights the importance of structured interventions focusing on the early relations of mothers and premature babies in NICU.

Keywords: intervention, prematurity, mentalizing, mother-infant interaction.