Journal of Families and Better Life (가정과삶의질연구)

Korean Home Management Association (가정과삶의질학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

The Influences of Self-Differentiation and Psychological Discomfort on Antenatal Attachment of Pregnant Couples in Their Third Trimester of Pregnancy

임신 후반기 부부의 자아분화와 심리적 불편감이 태아애착에 미치는 영향

  • Chae, Jin-Young (Department of Child Studies & Research Institute of Human Ecology, Chonbuk National University) ;
  • Chung, Hye-Jeong (Department of Child Studies & Research Institute of Human Ecology, Chonbuk National University)
  • Received : 2015.01.15
  • Accepted : 2015.03.18
  • Published : 2015.04.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study examined the effects of self-differentiation and psychological discomfort on antenatal attachment of pregnant couples in their third trimester of pregnancy. The subjects were 182 couples in J province who had participated in the first wave of the Korea Attachment Longitudinal Study (KALS). Data were analyzed by means of frequency, percentages, Pearson's correlations, and stepwise multiple regression models using SPSS 20.0. The findings were as follows. First, the independent t-test showed that the mean scores of pregnant women's self-differentiation were lower than their spouses in all subscales except emotional cutoff, and higher than in all psychological discomfort subscales. There was no significant difference in antenatal attachment quality between women and men, but the pregnant women significantly spent more time thinking about the fetus than their spouses. Second, the stepwise multiple regression models revealed that pregnant women's emotional cutoff in self-differentiation influenced the most on both quality and quantity of antenatal attachment. Among subscales of their spouses' self-differentiation, only emotional reactivity had an impact on quality of antenatal attachment, and fusion with others had the most impact on quantity of antenatal attachment. Among the pregnant women's and their spouses' psychological discomfort subscales, only depression influenced each quality and quantity of antenatal attachment. This is the very first and only study in which the impact of the pregnant couples' self-differentiation on antenatal attachment has been examined.

Keywords

References

  1. Alhusen, J. L. (2008). A literature update on maternal-fetal attachment. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing. 37(3), 315-328. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2008.00241.x
  2. Arkell, H. (2014, September 11). My wife's pregnant, but I'm off work with morning sickness! Father-to-be claims to be first in UK to be signed off with sympathy symptoms. Daily Mail. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2751715/My-wife-s-pregnant-I-m-work-morning-sickness.html
  3. Bae, B. R. (2014). Structural equation modeling with AMOS 21: Principles and practice. Seoul: Chungram.
  4. Bastani, F., Hidamia, A., Kazemnejad, A., Vafaei, M., & Kashanian, M. (2005). A randomized controlled trial of the effects of applied relaxation training on reducing anxiety and perceived stress in pregnant women. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 50(4), 36-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmwh.2004.11.008
  5. Bloom, K. C. (1995). The development of attachment behaviors in pregnant adolescents. Nursing Research, 44(5), 284-289.
  6. Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. New York: Jason Aronson.
  7. Bowlby, J. (1960). Grief and mourning in infancy and early childhood. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 15, 9-52.
  8. Bretherton, I. (1985). Attachment theory: Retrospect and prospect. In I. Bretherton & E. Waters (Eds.), Growing points of attachment theory and research. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50(1/2), 3-35.
  9. Cho, S. H., & Chung, H. (2009). The mediating and moderating effects of self-differentiation on the intergenerational transmission of marital adjustment and parent-child affectionate relationships. Journal of Korean Family Relations, 14(1), 33-59.
  10. Chung, H., & Cho, E.-K. (2007). Korean self-differentiation inventory: Development and validation. Korean Journal of Family Therapy, 15(1), 19-46.
  11. Condon, J. T. (1993). The assessment of antenatal emotional attachment: Development of questionnaire instrument. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 66(2), 167-183. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1993.tb01739.x
  12. Condon, J. T., Corkindale, C. J., & Boyce, P. (2008). Assessment of postnatal paternal-infant attachment: Developmental a questionnaire instrument. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 26(3), 195-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830701691335
  13. Cranley, M. S. (1981). Development of a tool for the measurement of maternal attachment during pregnancy. Nursing Research, 39(5), 281-284.
  14. Derogatis, L. R. (2001). Brief Symptom Inventory(BSI-18): Administration, scoring and procedures manual. Minneapolis: NCS Pearson, Inc.
  15. Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S., Rickels, K., Uhlenhuth, E. H., & Covi, L. (1974). The Hopkins Symptom Checklists (HSCL): A self-report symptom inventory. Behavioral Science, 19(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/bs.3830190102
  16. Fawcett, J., & York, R. (1987). Spouse's strength of identification and report of symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum. Florida Nursing Review, 2(2), 1-10.
  17. Field, T., Diego, M., & Hermandez-Rief, M. (2006). Prenatal depression effects on the fetus and newborn: A review. Infant Behavior & Development, 29(3), 445-455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2006.03.003
  18. Fisher, J. R., Hammarberg, K., & Baker, G. H. (2008). Antenatal mood and fetal attachment after assisted conception. Fertility and Sterility, 89(5), 84-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.02.002
  19. Fonagy, P. (2001). Attachment Theory and Psychoanalysis. New York: Other press.
  20. Fuller, J. R. (1990). Early patterns of maternal attachment. Health Care for Women International, 11(4), 433-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399339009515913
  21. Gaffney, K. F. (1986). Maternal-fetal attachment in relation to self-concept and anxiety. Maternal-Child Nursing Journal, 15(2), 91-101.
  22. Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and woman's development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  23. Gubbinns, C. A., Perosa, L. M., & Bartle-Haring, S. (2010). Relationships between married couples' self-differentiation/individuation and Gottman's model of marital interactions. Contemporary Family Therapy, 32(4), 383-395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-010-9132-4
  24. Hart, R., & McMahon, C. A. (2006). Mood state and psychological adjustment to pregnancy. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 9(6), 329-337. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-006-0141-0
  25. Hjelmstedt, A., Widstrom, A. M., & Collins, A. (2006). Psychological correlates of prenatal attachment in women who conceived after in vitro fertilization and women who conceived naturally. Birth, 33(4), 303-310. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-536X.2006.00123.x
  26. Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family Evaluation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
  27. Kim, M. (2014). Stress, depression, and fetal attachment in pregnant women having infertility treatments. Korean Journal of Women Health and Nursing, 20(2), 163-172. https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2014.20.2.163
  28. Kim, Y. I. (2006). The moderating effects of differentiation of self in the relationship between adult attachment and marital satisfaction. Unpublished master's thesis. Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
  29. Kozlowska, K., & Hanney, L. (2002). The network perspective: An integration of attachment and family system theories. Family Process, 41(3), 351-374. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2002.41306.x
  30. Kwon, M. K., & Bang, K. S. (2011). Relationship of prenatal stress and depression to maternal-fetal attachment and fetal growth. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 41(2), 276-283. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2011.41.2.276
  31. Lee, W. O. (2003). The relationship between family system and single adults' self-differentiation and depression. Unpublished master's thesis. Seoul Women's University, Seoul, Korea.
  32. Lindgren, K. (2006). Relationship among maternal-fetal attachment, prenatal depression, and health practices in pregnancy. Research in Nursing and Health, 24(3), 203-217. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.1023
  33. Lorensen, M., Wilson, M., & White, M. (2004). Norwegian families: Transition to parenthood. Health Care for Women International, 25(4), 334-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399330490278394
  34. McFarland, J., Salisbury, A. L., Battle, C. L., Hawes, K., Halloran, K., & Lester, B. M. (2011). Major depressive disorder during pregnancy and emotional attachment to fetus. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 14(5), 425-434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-011-0237-z
  35. Mercer, R. T., Ferketich, S., May, K., De Joseph, J., & Sollid, D. (1988). Further exploration of maternal and paternal fetal attachment. Research in Nursing and Health, 11(2), 83-95. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770110204
  36. Miller, R. B., Anderson, S., & Keala, D. K. (2004). Is Bowen theory valid? A review of basic research. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(4), 281-300.
  37. Na, B. Y., & Chung, H. (2008). Relationships among attachment with parents, self-differentiation and fear of intimacy among college students. Journal of Korea Home Management Association, 26(2), 155-168.
  38. Park, E. Y. (2002). A similarity study on theory of attachment and self-differentiation. Unpublished master's thesis. Seoul Women's University, Seoul, Korea.
  39. Park, K.-P., Woo, S.-W., & Chang, M.-S. (2012). Validational study of brief symptoms inventory-18 in college students. The Korean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 31(2), 507-521. https://doi.org/10.15842/kjcp.2012.31.2.006
  40. Parloff, M. B., Kelman, H. C., & Frank, J. D. (1954). Comfort, effectiveness, and self-awareness as criteria of improvement in psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 111(5), 343-351. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.111.5.343
  41. Pearson, R. M., Evans, J., Kounali, D., Lewis, G., Heron, J., Ramchandani, P. G., O'Connor, T. G., & Stein, A. (2013). Maternal depression during pregnancy and the postnatal period: Risk and possible mechanisms for offspring depression at age 18 years. The Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry, 70(10), 1312-1319.
  42. Peleg, O., & Yitzhak, M. (2011). Differentiation of self and separation anxiety: Is there a similarity between spouses? Contemporary Family Therapy, 33(1), 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-010-9137-z
  43. Ross, L. E., Evans, S. E., Sellers, E. M., & Romach, M. K. (2003). Measurement issues in postpartum depression part I: Anxiety as a feature of postpartum depression. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 6(1), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-002-0155-1
  44. Siddique, A., Haggliff, B., & Eisemann, M. (2000). Own memories of upbringing as a determinant of prenatal attachment in expectant women. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 18(1), 64-74.
  45. Skowron, E. A., & Dendy, A. K. (2004). Differentiation of self and attachment in adulthood: Relational correlates of effortful control. Contemporary Family Therapy, 26(3), 337-357. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:COFT.0000037919.63750.9d
  46. Stanton, F., & Golombok, S. (1993). Maternal-fetal attachment during pregnancy following in-vitro fertilization. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 14(2), 154-158.
  47. Threthowan, W. H., & Colon, M. F. (1965). The couvade syndrome. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 111(470), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.111.470.57
  48. Ustunsoz, A., Guvenc, G., Akyuz, A., & Oflaz, F. (2010). Comparison of maternal-and paternal-fetal attachment in Turkish couples. Midwifery, 26, e1-e9.
  49. Van Bussel, J. C. H., Spitz, B., & Demyttenaere, K. (2009). Anxiety in pregnant and postpartum women: An exploratory study of the role of maternal orientations. Journal of Affective Disorders, 114(1-3), 232-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2008.07.018
  50. Van den Bergh, B., & Simons, A. (2009). A review of scales to measure the mother-foetus relationship. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 27(2), 114-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830802007480
  51. Wapner, J. (1976). The attitudes, feelings and behaviors of expectant fathers attending Lamaze classes. Birth and the Family Journal, 3(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-536X.1976.tb01146.x
  52. Weaver, R. H., & Cranley, M. S. (1983). An exploration of paternal-fetal attachment behavior. Nursing Research, 32(2), 68-72.
  53. White, M A., Wilson, M E., Elander, G., & Persson, B. (1999). The Swedish family: Transition to parenthood. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 13(3), 171-176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6712.1999.tb00536.x
  54. Wilson, M. E., White, M. A., Cobb, B., Curry, R., Greene, D., & Popovich, D. (2000). Family dynamics, parental-fetal attachment and infant temperament. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 31(1), 204-210. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01245.x
  55. Yarcheski, A., Mahon, N. E., Yarcheskui, T. J., Hanks, M. M., & Cannella, B. L. (2009). A meta-analytic study of predictors of maternal-fetal attachment. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(5), 708-715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.10.013
  56. Yoon, J.-Y., & Kang, M.-H. (2004). Development of pregnant women-fetus interaction program and its effects on enhancing mother-newborn baby interaction. The Korean Journal of Development Psychology, 17(2), 157-175.