This paper provides an overview of basic Marte Meo video interaction guidance concepts and describes the therapeutic performance of the method applied in the context of early mother-infant interaction and postnatal depression. Weight is put upon the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Further Marte Meo therapy is understood in the light of Daniel Stern's theory of 'schemas of being with' and accompanied by clinical vignettes from therapy sessions. The empirical basis for the paper is a study of postnatal depression, mother-infant interaction and video guidance, carried out in Southern Norway. The study examined Marte Meo from a phenomenological perspective. Marte Meo was offered to mothers with either postnatal depression or depressive symptoms. In in-depth interviews the participants reported that the Marte Meo method, 'from the outside looking in', increased their reflections about their infants and their own mental states as well as their sensitive interaction with their newborn. Their mothering was improved and they reported feeling less depressed. We argue that Marte Meo methodology can guide new mothers with depressive symptoms, and contribute to the creation of new schemas of being together.

Our study shows that acceptability for routine screening with EPDS amongst health visitors is possible to achieve.

Fifteen mothers displaying depressive symptoms six weeks after giving birth were recruited from a health centre and participated in a study using the Marte Meo intervention method. Subsequent findings were promising; the mothers' viewing their interaction with their babies seemed to be the key to facilitating selfreflection, a renewed sense of vitality and increased capacity for mentalisation. This viewing thus had an overall positive influence on increasing sensitive mother-child interaction and decreasing maternal depressive symptoms. A conceptual model is outlined.

IntroductionPostnatal depression as well as postnatal depressive symptoms may have detrimental effects in offspring.ObjectiveThe main objective of this study was to examine the nature of the video interaction guidance method Marte Meo offered new mothers experiencing depression or depressive symptoms.AimThe aim was to develop knowledge to be utilised in care in order to prevent sufferings for mothers, babies and their families.MethodsFifteen mothers were recruited from a health centre. They took part in Marte Meo guidance and in-depth interviews.ResultsAll mothers experienced Marte Meo in a positive manner, the main point being that they viewed their babies and/or themselves in the videos “from the outside looking in”. This seemed to be the key to facilitating reflection, a renewed sense of vitality and increased capacity for mentalisation. This viewing thus had an overall positive influence on increasing sensitive mother-child interaction and decreasing maternal depressive symptoms as well as facilitating a mentalisation process in the participating mothers, increasing their ability to reflect on their own and others state of mind and in turn recognise their babies as subjects. The results are applied in both community and specialist health services.ConclusionMarte Meo may be a helpful method and can also be administrated on a community-based level where the threshold for seeking help is a low one.

BackgroundEarly parent- child relations play an important role in children’s development. Therapeutic intervention towards infants and toddlers at high-risk intends to prevent mental health problems. In this work, the parent-child-dyad is crucial. The video interaction guidance method, Marte Meo, is one among different methods used in attachment-based treatment in an outpatient infant mental health clinic. Parental sensitivity towards infants and toddlers needs is considered significant in developing secure attachment. Secure attachment is further considered decisive for mental health and the extent to which children are at risk of developing mental health problems. Different treatment methods aim at strengthening parents’ sensitivity. This study’s purpose was to gain further understanding about parent’s experiences with Marte Meo – therapy and highlight the importance for parental sensitivity.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional phenomenological hermeneutical study. Four biological parents of three infants and toddlers aged 0–20 months who received Marte Meo- therapy in a clinical context were selected. Data was collected using semi structured interviews.ResultsThis article presents the study’s key-finding; we suggest that sensitivity increases. The key components of this are: watching edited video interaction in a therapeutic context, emotional activation, mutuality, self-esteem / self-confidence and reflective function. These are further elaborated and discussed.ConclusionThe findings indicate that Marte Meo contributes to facilitate development-supportive interaction, strengthen parental sensitivity, emotional availability, reflective functioning and coping - experience.

In the period January-August 2003, a pilot study took place connected to a research project where video interaction guidance with postnatal depressed mothers was a central part. We wanted to gain some experiences with video interaction guidance with focus on the baby. The data were collected through interviews and video recordings and analysed in a phenomenological perspective. In short, the experiences from the guidance's with the six mothers can be described as follows: the mothers experienced their own coping, the mothers engaged in mutual dialogue with their babies and the mothers suffering was recognized. Our hypothesis is that the pictures on the TV screen are especially powerful to bring forth a change in the mothers' self-image.

By sometimes evoking self-absorbed and avoidance behaviors in new mothers, postnatal depression affects the quality of mother-infant interaction, which in turn may invoke distress and avoidance in the infant and cause even more lasting impairment in the child's development. Three depressed mothers, A, B, and C, are reported upon after having been offered counseling in accordance with the Marte Meo approach through jointly watching with the therapist video replays of themselves interacting with their newborns. Clinical vignettes are offered which indicate how empathic and positive support of a sensitive therapist can be helpful in inviting the mother's recognition of her importance to her infant and facilitating mutually gratifying interaction between mother and child. Protocol analyses of select sessions of video-related therapy reveal that two of the mothers sometimes complete the therapist's unfinished statements in an other-centered manner, thereby transcending their initial self-centered state. This is most dramatic in the case of Mother A, who starts out in the first session almost incapable of speech, merely nodding or shaking her head. In addition to other indications of improved mother-infant interaction, comparison of pre- and postguidance windows regarding the three mothers' holding behaviors reveals a shift from an avoidance or anxious stance to closer and more secure holding.

This qualitative study describes a research project in Norway comprising 15 mothers with postnatal depression and/or depressive symptoms and their experiences of loss in the early period following childbirth. During in-depth interviews, the mothers provided detailed descriptions of various loss subjects. Qualitative analysis revealed three global themes: loss of former identity, loss of self-reliance and lack of capacity for self-care. The analysis and discussions include perspectives from medicine and sociology. The descriptions may be valuable for health professionals' understanding and assessment of postnatal depressive symptoms in mothers. The findings may also help to bridge the gap between medicine and sociology; furthermore, the results demonstrate the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to this multifaceted and complex phenomenon.