Chloé Lavanchy Scaiola

Family Alliance as a Moderator of the Link Between Maternal Postpartum Depression and Child Symptoms Assessed by Both Parents

We investigated the moderating effect of family relationships on the links between maternal postpartum depression and child symptoms in a low-risk community sample of families with 3-month-old infants (n = 57). The level of maternal depression was assessed by the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale from a clinical interview, child symptoms by the Symptom Check List completed by both parents, and family relationships by direct observation of father–mother–baby interactions (Lausanne Trilogue Play). Families were categorized as high coordination or low coordination from their overall coordination level throughout the play. Results showed no significant links between maternal depression level and child symptoms reported by both parents. Mothers with a high depressive level in high coordination families tended to report more symptoms in their child than did mothers with lower depressive scores, whereas this link was not found in low coordination families. Prevention perspectives and clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Penser et agir la triade parents-bébé pendant la grossesse et après la naissance

Cet article presente une etude visant a explorer l’influence des representations familiales et des interactions coparentales chez les meres et les peres durant la grossesse sur les interactions postnatales triadiques mere-pere-bebe. 42 familles tout-venant ont ete vues au 5e mois de grossesse, ainsi qu’a 3 et 18 mois apres la naissance. Pendant la grossesse, les parents ont joue la premiere rencontre avec leur bebe selon la procedure du Jeu Trilogique de Lausanne Prenatal. Les representations familiales ont ete evaluees a l’aide du Family System Test. A 3 et 18 mois, les interactions ont ete evaluees dans le Jeu Trilogique de Lausanne Postnatal. Les resultats montrent d’une part que les interactions prenatales et postnatales sont liees et, d’autre part, que les representations paternelles sont predictives des interactions familiales a 3 mois. Ces resultats indiquent qu’il est possible d’evaluer pendant la grossesse des dimensions liees aux futures interactions familiales. Ils montrent egalement l’importance de tenir compte des representations paternelles qui constituent une variable significative dans la construction des relations familiales.