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Mind-mindedness and maternal responsiveness in infant–mother interactions in mothers with severe mental illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2010

S. Pawlby ,
C. Fernyhough ,
E. Meins ,
C. M. Pariante ,
G. Seneviratne  and
R. P. Bentall
S. Pawlby*
Affiliation:
Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
C. Fernyhough
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Durham University, Durham, UK
E. Meins
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Durham University, Durham, UK
C. M. Pariante
Affiliation:
Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
G. Seneviratne
Affiliation:
Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
R. P. Bentall
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Bangor, Wales, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr S. Pawlby, PO 71, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Previous cross-diagnosis studies of interaction between mothers with severe mental illness and their babies have concluded that mothers with schizophrenia have deficits in interaction, but these studies have not included healthy controls.

Method

In-patients on a mother and baby unit, with diagnoses of schizophrenia (n=15), depressive mood disorders with or without psychosis (n=23), or mood disorders where mania was the predominant feature, with or without psychosis (n=12), were observed interacting with their infants on admission and discharge. Mothers' mind-mindedness and other measures of the quality of maternal and infant behaviour were coded. Findings from this sample were compared with those from healthy mothers and their infants (n=49).

Results

Compared with healthy controls, on admission depressed mothers were marginally less likely to comment appropriately on their infants' mental states. Both the depressed and mania groups were more likely to touch their babies and engage in attention-seeking behaviours. Interactional behaviours of mothers in the schizophrenia group were not markedly different from healthy controls. On discharge there were fewer differences between the clinical and healthy groups, although the depressed group continued to engage in more attention-seeking and touching behaviour and the mania group continued to touch their infants more. Only mothers in the schizophrenia group showed changes in interactional behaviours between admission and discharge, talking more to their infants.

Conclusions

The findings challenge previous conclusions that mothers with schizophrenia have deficits in their interactions with their babies, and demonstrate that mothers with severe mental illness are able to respond appropriately to their infants' cues.

Keywords

Infant-mother interactionmind-mindednessschizophreniasevere mental illness
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 11 , November 2010 , pp. 1861 - 1869
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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