Prenatal and postnatal attachment among turkish mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder

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Date
2018Author
Ozcan, Neslihan KeserBoyacioglu, Nur Elcin
Dikec, Gul
Dinc, Husniye
Enginkaya, Semra
Tomruk, Nesrin
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Özcan, N. K., Boyacıoğlu, N. E., Dikeç, G., Dinç, H., Enginkaya, S., & Tomruk, N. (2018). Prenatal and Postnatal Attachment Among Turkish Mothers Diagnosed with a Mental Health Disorder. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(9), 795-801.Abstract
The presence of a mental disorder in the mother is one of the key factors affecting attachment. The present study aimed to evaluate prenatal and postnatal attachment among mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder by comparing them to a healthy group. The patient group included women who received follow-up care in a psychiatric clinic (74 pregnant and 75 postpartum), and the healthy group consisted of women who attended a follow-up polyclinic (118 pregnant and 82 postpartum). Data were collected using questionnaire forms, including the Prenatal Attachment Inventory and the Maternal Attachment Scale. Mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder were determined to have lower attachment scores than the healthy group, both during the prenatal and postnatal periods. The literature suggests that mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder showed low maternal attachment scores during pregnancy and/or the postnatal period. Psychiatric nurses should be involved in initiatives that may increase the prenatal and maternal attachment.