Interventions to Enhance Mother-Infant Attachment in the Context of Trauma, Depression, and Substance Abuse

Abstract

In the first months and years of life, a young child's relationship with his mother and other caregivers is critical and serves as the foundation for rest of the development. The postpartum period is a time of increased vulnerability to psychopathology for mothers, especially in the context of prior trauma. Trauma exposure, depression, and substance abuse can impede a mother's ability to provide a kind of sensitive, responsive, attuned care that is necessary for her child's optimal development. In this chapter, we discuss parenting processes among mothers with trauma exposure, depression, and substance abuse along with mother-infant therapeutic interventions that aim to improve mother-infant relationships in these at-risk populations to mitigate the intergenerational transmission of risk.