Actitudes hacia el síndrome de Münchhausen por poderes / Attitudes towards Münchhausen Syndrome by Proxy

ABSTRACT

Münchhausen’s syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a form of child abuse characterized by the primary caregiver of a minor simulating or fabricating symptoms in him/her of a physical, psychiatric type or both. The aim is to study the attitudes of the general population towards SMP, determining whether there are differences according to variables, as well as attachment, family structure, levels of anxiety, and the degree of contact with people diagnosed with mental disorders. Have been selected 268 Spanish subjects participated (153 females, M= 33.08 years, SD= 13.875) by opinion sampling. Significant differences were found in attitudes towards SMP as a function of educational level, presence of disorganized attachment indicators, family structure and S/A levels. This study contributes to the analysis of the attitudes of the general population towards the SMP and to its better understanding (AU)