Preterm Birth and Maternal Sensitivity: Findings From a Non-Western Country

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2020

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Elsevier Science inc

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Department of Psychology
(2004)
The Atılım University Department of Psychology was founded in the year 2004, and is the first Department of Psychology at the Foundation Schools of Ankara. Our undergraduate program is accredited by FEDEK (The Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of University Programs in Mathematical, Natural and Social Sciences) until 2026. The aim of the department is to raise individuals who are experienced in psychological research and practices and equipped with professional ethics and theoretical knowledge. Our department allows our students to take courses in line with their interests and career goals with our wide range of elective courses on the sub-fields of psychology.

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Introduction: Although there are several studies on maternal sensitivity of preterm-born children conducted in Western countries, the factors affecting the sensitivity of mothers of preterm infants have not been investigated outside the Western context. Objectives: This study aimed to compare maternal sensitivity of preterm children at 18 months of corrected age with their healthy term-born peers and explore the factors associated with maternal sensitivity in a middle-income non-Western country. Moreover, the associations of maternal sensitivity with socio-demographic factors, maternal depression, and social-emotional competency and behavior problems of infants were investigated. Methods: In total, 70 (40 preterm-born and 30 term-born) mother-child dyads participated in this study. An observation-based measurement tool, Maternal Sensitivity Scale, was used to assess maternal sensitivity. Social-emotional competency and behavior problems of infants were evaluated via The Turkish version of the Brief Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed via the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, a demographic information form was filled out by the mothers. Results: Maternal sensitivity scores of preterm infants were significantly lower compared to term infants. Depressive symptoms scores and employment status of mothers, socio-economic status (SES), gestational age, breastfeeding duration, and behavior problems of children were the factors related to maternal sensitivity scores. In hierarchical regression analysis, SES and gestational age were the strongest predictors of maternal sensitivity. After controlling SES and gestational age, maternal depressive symptoms scores negatively predicted maternal sensitivity scores. Conclusion: This study pointed out the factors associated with the maternal sensitivity of preterm infants outside the Western context. Interventions to improve sensitive parenting behaviors of preterm infants are needed, especially in socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

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Akkus, Pinar Zengin/0000-0003-1704-0327; Ilter Bahadur, Evin/0000-0003-0592-6710

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Maternal sensitivity, Mother-child dyads, Maternal depression, Social-emotional development, Preterm birth, Non-western context

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61

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