Treating infants and mothers in psychic distress: A mental health program for infancy

Journal/Book: Infant Mental Hlth J. 1997; 18: Michigan State Univ, Dept Psychology, E Lansing, MI 48824-1117. Michigan Assn Infant Mental Health. 145-157.

Abstract: Our purpose is to outline a program of mental health for mothers and infants up to the age of 3. The theoretical background of the program refers to the psychoanalytical genetic point of View developed by French and American authors. The therapeutic objectives consist of promoting the infant's self-development and the mother's reflective self-capacity to improve the infant's resiliency. These objectives aim to have preventive purposes. The program has clinical, research and training activities and a multidisciplinary staff. The clinical population is referred by medical services, from families with a middle-low socioeconomic status. With the data collected during the assessment phase, we establish a diagnosis based on a psychodynamic analysis of the pathological process and the evaluation of the risk and protective factors. Our multidisciplinary approach combines individual therapeutic modalities focused on mothers, child or mother-child relationship, with family interventions in our Unit or in the community. An evaluation of our intervention based on Parent-Infant Relationship-Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) is presented.

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