De Gehechtheidsrelatie Tussen Moeder en Kind in Relatie met Zwangerschapsduur bij Prematuren

Abstract

Background. Prematurity is a risk factor for long-term developmental problems. Several researchers have shown that children born premature are more like to develop an unsafe attachment relationship with their mother. The degree of prematurity could determine the attachment style. Aim. Current research studies the relationship between gestational age and the attachment relationship between mother and child in children born premature. Method. Participants were 71 infants born preterm (<37 weeks’ gestation and <2500 g birth weight) and their mothers. The mother-child interaction was scored by observation (ELO, CIB) when the child was 14 months old. Results. After creating the new variable attachment through a factor analysis, the Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficient did not indicate a significant relation between gestational age and attachment. Conclusion. These results indicate that premature children with a smaller gestational age are not significantly more likely to develop an unsafe attachment relationship than premature children with a higher gestational age. Follow-up research can focus on factors that mediate the relationship between gestational age and the attachment relationship, such as neurological health issues and reduced physical contact.