A Long-Term Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Mother-Infant Psychoanalytic Treatment: Outcomes on the Children

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared two groups of mother-infant dyads in a Stockholm sample. One had received mother-infant psychoanalytic treatment (MIP group) and the other Child Health Center care (CHCC group). Effects were found on mother-reported depression and expert-rated mother-infant relationship qualities and maternal sensitivity. When the children were 4½ years old, they were followed up with assessments of attachment representations, socioemotional development, and global functioning. They also were divided into two types according to individual characteristics and psychological well-being: the "OK" and the "Troubled" children. Of 80 dyads in the mother-infant RCT, data were gathered from 66 cases approximately 3½ years after treatment. The children in the MIP group had better results on global functioning. There were more OK children in the MIP group and more Troubled children in the CHCC group. No other between-group differences were found. A relatively brief mother-infant psychotherapy seemed to help the children function better and be less troubled 3½ years after therapy.

A Long-Term Follow-Up Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Mother-Infant Psychoanalytic Treatment: Outcomes on Mothers and Interactions

“…Between‐group differences were found on the children in favor of MIP on global functioning and psychological well‐being (M.W. Salomonsson et al., ). The present article reports on outcomes on the mothers and the mother–child interactions.…”

“…After careful observations of each child, the interviewer formed categories through a process of induction (Philips, Werbart, Wennberg, & Schubert, ; Wachholz & Stuhr, ) into two major categories: “OK” and “Troubled.” Cognitive functioning was rated with the Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence‐III (WPPSI‐III; Wechsler, , ). For a detailed account, refer to the report on the children (M.W.Salomonsson et al., ).…”

“…A previous article has reported on the child outcomes (M.W. Salomonsson et al., ). We hypothesized that the MIP mothers were to demonstrate more favorable results on depression, stress, and general psychological distress as well as on internal representations of the children.…”

Therapists’ Experiences of Mother–infant Psychoanalytic Treatment: A Qualitative Study

“…Data collected 6 months later indicated that the mothers in the MIP group had better results on self‐reported maternal depression, observer‐rated mother–infant relationships, and maternal sensitivity, and on a marginally significant level, self‐reported maternal stress. A follow‐up study of the long‐term outcomes for mothers and infants was initiated approximatively 3½ years after treatment termination when the children were 4½ years old (Winberg Salomonsson, Sorjonen, & Salomonsson, , ).…”

“…Quantitative outcome studies of parent–infant psychotherapy have been numerous (Cohen, Lojkasek, Muir, Muir, & Parker, ; Cooper, Murray, Wilson, & Romaniuk, ; Hayes, Matthews, Copley, & Welsh, ; Letourneau et al., ; Murray, Cooper, Wilson, & Romaniuk, ; Ravn et al., ; Robert‐Tissot et al., ; Santelices et al., ; Winberg Salomonsson et al., , ). Another way of investigating the development of the relationship between mother and child is the single case study of therapy cases (Baradon, Biseo, Broughton, James, & Joyce, ; Belt et al., ; Downing, Burgin, Reck, & Ziegenhain, ; Kächele, Schachter, & Thomä, ; Keren, ; Tuters, Doulis, & Yabsley, ; Willemsen, Della Rosa, & Kegerreis, ).…”