Attachment refers to a strong emotional bond with special people in a person?s life, in whose presence the person experiences pleasure, joy and comfort in times of stress. The first attachment in life is commonly formed between an infant and primary caregiver, which is usually the mother. The caregiving provided by the mother or caregiver will determine whether a secure or insecure attachment pattern is formed. Attachment theory indicates that this first attachment forms the basis for a cognitive representation, the so-called internal working model, which becomes part of the person?s personality and forms the foundation of the person?s perception of the self and the world as well as of all future interpersonal relationships. As infancy is a sensitive period for the development of attachment, the prenatal period could be an appropriate time to educate expecting mothers about the importance of secure attachment and their role in the development thereof. The researcher therefore wished to explore whether antenatal programmes could be used as a platform for teaching expecting mothers about attachment. As a starting point, the goal of this study was to explore the perceptions of antenatal programme presenters on including training on attachment into antenatal programmes. The study was based on a qualitative research approach, and applied research as the type of research. A collective case study research design was adopted and data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews that were conducted with a sample of ten presenters of antenatal programmes in the Tshwane district. The participants were selected by means of purposive sampling. Data was analysed according to methods for qualitative data analysis, and relevant ethical considerations were followed during the study. The research findings indicate that the participants were aware of the importance and benefits of secure attachment and that they had a positive attitude towards the inclusion of training on attachment into antenatal programmes. They were eager to receive training on attachment and to adapt their programmes to include training on attachment. The researcher concludes that it would be feasible and beneficial to include training on attachment into antenatal programmes, and to train antenatal programme presenters for this purpose. The provision of training on attachment to nurses and raising awareness of attachment in the private and public health care sectors could facilitate greater knowledge of attachment for expecting mothers. Further research in diverse settings, such as in private and public clinics and hospitals in different geographical areas, is recommended. / Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Social Work and Criminology / MA / Unrestricted

Disertacijoje tirtas vaizdo analizės metodu pagrįstos, trumpalaikės, nukreiptos į motinos ir kūdikio sąveiką, prieraišumo santykius koreguojančios intervencijos (VIPP, Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Van IJzendoorn, 2008) poveikis motinų jautrumui kūdikio signalams bei kūdikių prieraišumo saugumui. Tiriamieji buvo (N = 54) nepakankamai jautrios kūdikio signalams, klinikinių sutrikimų neturinčios, viduriniosios klasės motinos ir kūdikiai. Motinos jautrumas kūdikio signalams buvo vertinamas klasikine Ainsworth skale pagal nufilmuotą motinos ir kūdikio laisvą žaidimą, o kūdikių prieraišumo saugumas vertintas Waters‘o „Prieraišumo Q-rūšiavimo metodika“ (stebint kūdikį ir motiną namuose). Ilgalaikį dalyvavimo korekcijos programoje poveikį vaikų elgesio sunkumams vertinome CBCL metodika. Nustatyta, kad dalyvavimas korekcijos programoje reikšmingai padidino motinų jautrumą kūdikių signalams, net kai buvo kontroliuojamas motinos amžius, išsilavinimas, kasdienis stresas, saviveiksmingumas, kūdikių lytis ir temperamentas. Kūdikių prieraišumo saugumas eksperimentinėje grupėje nepadidėjo, kai eksperimentinės grupės tiriamieji baigė dalyvauti programoje, lyginant su kontroline grupe. Aukštesniu ir žemesniu neigiamu emocionalumu pasižymintys kūdikiai gavo tiek pat naudos iš dalyvavimo programoje. Eksperimentinės, kontrolinės grupių ir pakankamai jautrių motinų vaikai patyrė panašiai tiek pat elgesio sunkumų dviejų metų amžiuje. Disertacijoje analizuojami veiksniai, susiję su motinų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The randomized control trial examined the effects of a short-term, interaction focused and attachment-based video-feedback intervention (VIPP, Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Van IJzendoorn, 2008) on mothers’ sensitive responsiveness and infant-mother attachment security in a sample (N = 54) of low sensitive, non-clinical, middle class Lithuanian mothers. Maternal sensitivity was assessed in a free play session with the Ainsworth sensitivity scale, and attachment security was observed using the Attachment Q sort for home observations. The long-term intervention effect on children behavior problems was assessed with CBCL. We found that the intervention mothers indeed significantly improved their sensitive responsiveness through participation in the intervention. VIPP enhanced maternal sensitive responsiveness even when maternal age, educational level, daily hassles, efficacy, infant gender, and infant negative and positive affect were controlled for. However, attachment security in the intervention group infants was not enhanced after the intervention, compared to the control infants, and the infants did not seem to differential susceptible to the increase in maternal sensitivity. Experimental, control groups children and sensitive mothers’ children experienced the same level of behavior problems at two years. Factors associated with maternal sensitivity and children behavior problems were analyzed.

Advances in neonatology have led to increased numbers of high-risk neonates surviving and intensified interest in the developmental outcomes of this population. In the South African context prematurity and low birth weight are the most common causes of death in the perinatal period and the same risk factors that contribute to infant mortality also contribute to the surviving infants’ increased risk for developmental delays. As a result of the interacting biological and environmental risk factors of prematurity, low birth weight, poverty and HIV and AIDS in the South African context Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) has been developed as best practice to promote infant survival and to facilitate mother-infant attachment. Mother-infant attachment may lead to synchronous interaction patterns between the mother and infant which forms the basis of early communication development. Early communication intervention (ECI) services are recommended as early as possible as high-risk infants are especially at risk for feeding difficulties and communication developmental delays. It is, however, not clear what the content of an ECI programme should be and how it should be implemented according to the changing communication and feeding developmental needs of the infant while receiving KMC. There appears to be a dearth of research on the earliest stages of communication development in high-risk neonates, which should form the foundation of such a programme. A descriptive survey was conducted to describe the development of 25 high-risk infants and their mothers’ changing needs from admission to discharge from a KMC unit. Each participant and mother dyad was followed up over an average of 11 days of data collection with three to four data collection sessions. Data was collected by means of direct observation during routine care-giving activities. The different developmental subsystems of the participants’ feeding, communication, neuro-behavioural organization and mother-neonate interaction were described. The results demonstrated that subtle, but definite changes could be observed in the participants’ development. Development in all the different areas occurred over time as the participants progressed through the three developmental states of the in-turned state, coming-out state and reciprocity state. As the participants progressed during the 11 days of data collection and were increasingly able to attend to their environment, they also developed the ability to regulate and organize their own behaviour in order to develop more complex communication, feeding and interaction skills with their mothers. The functioning of the participants’ sensory systems developed in a specific order namely tactile, auditory and then visual. Although the participants developed consistently throughout their stay in the KMC unit, mother-neonate interaction never reached optimal levels. The importance of an individualized training programme for each mother is reflected in the finding that the neonate’s developmental level and progress needs to be considered when implementing the ECI programme. The need for speech-language therapy involvement in KMC is emphasized in the light of a shortage of practicing speech-language therapists in South Africa. It is therefore imperative that the prevention of communication delays and feeding difficulties in high-risk neonates as well as parent training assume priority. / Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

John Bowlby made a profound contribution to the field of early parenting with his theory of attachment. He suggested that attachment theory has universal applicability. However, it has been argued that attachment theory is based upon a Western worldview, and as such, lacks applicability in cross-cultural contexts. In light of this objection, this study aimed to examine the relevancy of attachment theory within the South African context. In order to do this, a qualitative research design, employing focus groups, was set up to explore isiZulu-speaking mothers’ constructions of infant-caregiver relationships. Participants were recruited from two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in KwaZulu-Natal. Each participant partook in three focus groups. The focus group data was analyzed using a form of thematic analysis. The group discussion provided support for attachment theory in the South African context. However, there appeared to be some cultural variations in the ways in which the attachment relationship is carried out within this context. In particular, it appeared that isiZulu-speaking mothers employ physical touch and a rapid response style with their infants. Furthermore, evidence emerged to suggest that there are certain barriers to the attachment relationship in South Africa. Finally, this research study showed that urbanization has had an important impact on parenting. As such, from this research, it can be concluded that attachment interventions are useful in South Africa, yet these may need to occur alongside other interventions. There is also room for further research to explore understandings of attachment within broader population groups, including fathers and grandmothers. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.