The effects of maternal characteristics on prenatal attachment in first-time mothers

This study aimed to explore the effects of the maternal characteristics on the attachment of the mother to her unborn child in the pregnancy period. To fulfill this aim 248 pregnant women aged between 18-41 years old (M = 30.2 years, SD = 4.42), were asked to fill the questionnaires about demographic, pregnancy-related and psychosocial variables. All subjects were restricted to women who were having their first child, and they were between 13 and 42 weeks gestation (M = 31.5 weeks, SD = 5.50) at the time they completed the instruments. The assessment battery consisted of Demographic Form, Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised Inventory (ECR-R), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Multidimensional Anger Scale (MDAS). For the data analysis, firstly the associations between the demographic, pregnancy-related and psychosocial variables and prenatal attachment were investigated then regression analysis was conducted to understand the variables that predict prenatal attachment. The results revealed that gestation week, age, receiving treatment for fertility, having a psychiatric disorder history, feeling competent on infant care, deciding a name for the baby, gender of the fetus, romantic attachment style, perceived social support, lack of awareness in emotion regulation difficulties and difficulties in controlling cognitions and behaviors when distressed (goals) were significantly associated with prenatal attachment. In addition to this, age, romantic attachment style and anger level were predictors of prenatal attachment as well. Findings of the study were discussed in the frame of relevant literature with limitations, clinical implications and future suggestions. Keywords: attachment, prenatal attachment, maternal characteristics, first-time pregnancy, fetus