The Factor Structure of the CA-MIR as Evaluated Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the factor structure of the CArtes- Modèles Individuels de Relations (CA-MIR), a self-report questionnaire designed to tap into the relational strategies of adults that was developed by a French-speaking research group coordinated by Blaise Pierrehumbert. The CA-MIR's particular merit lies in the richness and complexity of the theoretical model underpinning it. However, to date, this model has only been partially reproduced in studies using exploratory analysis and has never been tested via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Objective and Method: We thus conducted CFA on data collected from a sample of 979 subjects, recruited using a snowball sampling method during the spring and fall of 2005. To assess if some item multidimensionality was present, we estimated both the independent clusters model (ICM-CFA) and a model in which some zero loading restrictions were removed. Results: The results supported the originally proposed structure of the CA-MIR; the large majority of items were good indicators of the expected latent dimensions and only few items showed relevant secondary loadings or loaded in an unexpected factor. The instrument adequately differentiates the three attachment styles, taking into account both past and present experiences of attachment relationships, and providing a rich and complex assessment of multiple features of attachment. In terms of internal consistency, alpha values were satisfactory and comparable to those found in the original Swiss validation study. Conclusions: Our results are of key importance for both research and clinical work, given the lack of valid and easy-to-administer tools for evaluating adult attachment.

[Women and post-natal care: analysis of a rooming-in facility.] / La donna nel post-parto: uno studio sulla pratica del rooming-in.

INTRODUCTION: The practice of rooming-in (R-in) is widely but heterogeneously applied in Italian hospitals and consists in keeping babies in the same room with their mothers from the moment of birth through to the discharge. AIM: Explore the perception and use of R-in among Italian mothers who gave birth in a context where R-in is offered 24h. We aimed at comparing differences among women who consistently use the R-in practice to those who do not. METHOD: Sixty-five women in good health (average age=33.8 years old; sd=4.2) were assigned to two different groups: mothers who always kept their baby in the room (n=35) and mothers who referred their babies more than once to the nursery care (n=30). Women completed a questionnaire about their pregnancy, delivery, hospitalization, and R-in. Medical records were also collected. The two groups were compared with regard to medical/obstetrician/socio-demographic factors, as well as their perception of R-in. RESULTS: We observed no differences in terms of maternal age, education, and parity among the two groups. Women who had undergone Caesarean section were more likely to make use of the nursery care up to 72 hours after delivery (χ2=11,11, p<,001). A considerable proportion of the study population (42%) considered the level of information received about R-in unsatisfying; this percentage is higher (55%) among women who referred to the nursery. DISCUSSION: Women differ in the degree of R-in application use depending on the type of delivery and the subsequent maternal physical condition. It is important to support women by offering them a flexible service that accounts for their possible physical difficulties. Besides, it is crucial to provide an adequate level of information about R-in, so that mothers can feel in control of the situation, especially if they underwent Caesarean section.

Feasibility and efficacy of an attachment-based intervention in a maltreatment sample in residential care: A pilot study.

The effects of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline on improving maternal sensitivity and sensitive discipline were investigated using a randomized control design in a pilot sample of mothers at high risk of maltreatment. The study included 12 mothers and their 10- to 36-month-old children placed in parental residential care, due to a guardianship order issued by the Youth Court. Both at pretest and post-test, maternal sensitivity and sensitive discipline were assessed during mother-child interaction via observational measures. Mothers who received the intervention showed a significant reduction in dysfunctional strategies of maternal discipline. Results highlight the usefulness and feasibility of a brief residential care-based intervention in such a risk sample, with promising implications for the prevention of child maltreatment.