ABSTRACT
Little is known about the prevalence of failure to bond, what causes it and its consequences for both mother and baby. A number of different factors may be implicated, such as caesarean birth, a crying baby or lack of support from the mother's partner, and it undoubtedly has an effect on the mother-child relationship. Andy Sluckin describes and analyses the experiences of six women in the context of recent studies into bonding failure and puts the case for specialist therapy, without which, he suggests, improving the relationship between mother and child may be slow and only partially successful.
Subject(s)
Mother-Child Relations , Mothers/psychology , Object Attachment , Psychotherapy/methods , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Mothers/education , ParentingSubject(s)
Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Maternal Behavior , Mother-Child Relations , Nursing Assessment , Object Attachment , Puerperal Disorders/diagnosis , Adult , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Female , Humans , Infant , Pregnancy , Puerperal Disorders/psychology , Puerperal Disorders/therapy , Referral and ConsultationABSTRACT
Enuresis among children is frequently seen in families under stress, and as such has come to the attention of social workers. This article demonstrates how behavioral methods, used in combination with traditional social work skills, can assist the child in becoming continent and bring about corresponding improvements in family relationships and the child's overall emotional adjustment.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Enuresis/therapy , Social Work, Psychiatric , Child , Child Behavior Disorders/therapy , Enuresis/psychology , Female , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Child Abuse , Emotions , Parent-Child Relations , Child , Child Abuse/legislation & jurisprudence , Child Development , England , Humans , Psychology, ChildSubject(s)
Child Abuse , Encopresis/therapy , Child , Child, Preschool , Encopresis/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Care Team , Professional-Family Relations , Psychology, ChildSubject(s)
Mother-Child Relations , Object Attachment , Child Abuse , Disabled Persons , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Postpartum Period , PregnancyABSTRACT
The concept of maternal 'bonding', i.e. rapid mother-to-neonate attachment, appears frequently in psychiatric, paediatric and social work discussions of childhood psychopathology and child abuse. 'Bonding' is used as a diagnostic concept, and one which has to bear the weight of important explanatory, descriptive and predictive statements. In turn, it is related aetiologically to post-partum contact and separations of mother and infant. The authors present a critical review of the concept, exploring its empirical basis, and the implications (logical and illogical) that flow from its application in practice. They conclude that the usage of the term 'bonding' is often misleading, because of a tendency to reify and simplify attachment phenomena; in addition, there are no indications from animal investigations and no evidence from human studies which directly support the notion of a 'sensitive period' in the formation of mother-to-infant attachments. They also describe the negative and pessimistic implications of using this concept in social work and clinical practice. Alternative ways of conceptualising these early parent-child events are suggested.
Subject(s)
Mother-Child Relations , Object Attachment , Adoption , Animals , Child Abuse , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Imprinting, Psychological , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Maternal Behavior , Obstetric Labor Complications/psychology , PregnancyABSTRACT
Social work intervention and the use of behaviour modification techniques is described in five cases of childhood encopresis, all boys. In two cases an operant model was adopted and the parents were asked to reinforce with praise and stars approximation to the goal (trying) as well as success (defaecation into the lavatory). The P.S.W. rewarded the children intermittently with praise and small gifts and supported and praised the mother for the efforts they were making. In the third case contingencies surrounding elimination were altered in order to bring about desensitization following an injury the child had suffered while sitting on the seat of the school lavatory. This had resulted in fearfulness over going to the toilet at school culminating in alternate soiling and constipation. In the remaining two cases self-monitoring was central to the treatment and training. The work was done within the context of a conventional casework relationship with the whole family which was warm and supportive in nature and directed towards problem solving in more than one area. Other members of the Child Guidance Team were involved with some of the children for the purpose of assessment, but the programmes were devised and carried out by the P.S.W. The author expresses the view that 'treatment through training' has shown better and quicker results than 'treating the underlying causes--not the symptom'. Several behavioural programmes currently in use are described and reasons given for the author's preference for the procedure adopted here.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Encopresis/therapy , Social Work, Psychiatric , Child , Child, Preschool , Conditioning, Operant , Encopresis/psychology , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
This paper contains two case reports illustrating the use of behaviour modification in the treatment of elective mutism. The programme was carried out by two social workers in the natural environment of the home and school.
