Features of Interaction between Mothers and Children at an Early Age who were Placed in the Intensive Care Unit in Postnatal Period ⁴²¹

It is known that the features of the perinatal period influence on the further mother-child interaction. This article presents the results of a comparative study of the interaction of mothers with children at an early age. The study was conducted in two groups. The experimental group included 69 dyads of mothers with prematurely born children and 26 dyads of mothers with children born on time, who were placed in the intensive care unit in the postpartum period. The control group consisted of 90 dyads of mothers with children who did not need resuscitation and hospitalization. The age of children at the time of the study is from 12 to 36 months. Methods: collection and analysis of anamnestic data from children's medical records, a questionnaire of mothers (a questionnaire for mothers Lantsburg M.E.), instrumental structured observation (quantitative and qualitative analysis of video recording of game actions of mother and child using the program The Observer XT Noldus and beyond). As a result of the study, a specificity was revealed in the mother-child interaction in dyads with a complicated postnatal period. Mothers of children who have been in intensive care in the postpartum period showed lower sensitivity and responsiveness in interaction with children than mothers of children with uncomplicated postnatal period.

Keywords: mother-child interaction, «mother-child» dyad, neonatal resuscitation, prematurely-born children, postnatal period, early age, maternal sensibility, maternal responsiveness, The Observer XT

Column: Developmental Psychology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2018100312

Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful to project curator Ph.D. in Biology M.E. Lantsburg and to Ph.D. in Psychology E.V. Solovyeva for their helpful issues and support they lend at the study stage.