Maladie mentale de la mère et troubles sévères de l'attachement mère-nourrisson «l'enfant de n'importe qui»

Abstract

Maternel mental illness and severe disorders of motherchild attachment. 44 self-selected women who had previously suffered from at least one episode of postnatal mental illness gave detailed accounts of absent affection, sometimes hate, rejection, neglect or impulses to harm, in relation to at least one of their children. 29 of the women had had more than one child and first-born infants were not much more likely to be the focus for such feelings than second or subsequent children. Such profound disturbances of maternal affection and behaviour often began immediately or very shortly after the birth, were usually prolonged and distressing and, with one exception, were specific to the one child; such characteristics are best encapsulated by the descriptive term 'maternal bonding disorder'. postnatal mental illness and recalled severe pain during labour were the only two factors significant y associated with the occurrence of such disorders and there was no direct evidence of any predisposing maternal personality traits or previous experiences.