Abstract:The maternal representations as described by Stern (1995:171-190) are used in an extreme case to illustrate the link between depression and pathogenic maternal representations.
<b>Opsomming</b>
Die moedervoorstellings soos dit deur Stern (1995:171-190) beskryf word, word in ‘n ekstreme geval gebruik om die verband tussen depressie en patogene moedervoorstellings aan te toon.
*Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text
“…Filicidal thoughts prior to the act were disclosed by a small number of women experiencing depressive disorders. Premeditation and intentionality were also evidenced in two studies where out‐of‐control anger and resentment led women experiencing mental health issues (depressive and personality disorder respectively) to infanticide (Gous & Roos, 2005; Stanton & Simpson, 2001):I saw her like a stumbling block in front of me and that [it] was her I had to get rid of her. So I killed the baby and that was it.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 97%
“…Pregnancy denial and body dissociation seemed to only be related to women in involved in neonaticide. Participants described a process of disconnecting from the physical and emotional changes occurring in their bodies and what was happening along with a sense of necessary isolation (Gous & Roos, 2005; Riley, 2006):I carried the pregnancy without acknowledging it at all. I just denied it the entire nine months.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Although only four women involved in infanticide were included in this review, contrasting experiences were displayed in two. While one woman felt inadequate in her role as a mother (Gous & Roos, 2005), another recounted feelings of joy after giving birth to a highly desired infant (Stanton & Simpson, 2001):So I was not trying to make any sense at all. I was not ready to be a mother.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Study settings were represented by prison institutions (Gous & Roos, 2005;Riley, 2006), participants' place of residence (Stanton & Simpson, 2001Stanton et al, 2000), psychiatric hospitals (Moodley et al, 2019) and both prisons and psychiatric institutions (Razali et al, 2019). The included studies comprised a total of 36 participants.…”
Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The included studies comprised a total of 36 participants. All seven papers based their results on data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and one (Gous & Roos, 2005) included documents from psychiatric hospitals where the participant was admitted and from field notes. Riley (2006) explored women's experience of neonaticide.…”
Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning
What is known on the subject?• The phenomenon of child killing (neonaticide, infanticide or filicide) is a rare event that cannot be fully explained by a single construct as each case involves the unique life circumstances of each woman who committed the act(s).
What the paper adds to existing knowledge?• The majority of women who committed neonaticide, infanticide or filicide regretted the act and regretted not seeking help from family and healthcare professionals.• Women who committed neonaticide, infanticide or filicide in the main had complex circumstances characterised by poverty, abusive relationships, poor family and social support or over reliance on family supports and mental health issues.
What are the implications for practice?• Women require a clear plan of what to do if they feel overwhelmed with caring for a baby or child.• Healthcare professionals involved with women in the perinatal period need to explore further women's expressions of "not being ready to be a mother" which for some women may be pathological and require further assessment.• Women need to be made aware of the support service pathways available to them during the perinatal period and beyond.• Further research is needed to explore and learn from women's experiences to reduce child homicide mortality and support women and their families.
“…Filicidal thoughts prior to the act were disclosed by a small number of women experiencing depressive disorders. Premeditation and intentionality were also evidenced in two studies where out‐of‐control anger and resentment led women experiencing mental health issues (depressive and personality disorder respectively) to infanticide (Gous & Roos, 2005; Stanton & Simpson, 2001):I saw her like a stumbling block in front of me and that [it] was her I had to get rid of her. So I killed the baby and that was it.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 97%
“…Pregnancy denial and body dissociation seemed to only be related to women in involved in neonaticide. Participants described a process of disconnecting from the physical and emotional changes occurring in their bodies and what was happening along with a sense of necessary isolation (Gous & Roos, 2005; Riley, 2006):I carried the pregnancy without acknowledging it at all. I just denied it the entire nine months.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Although only four women involved in infanticide were included in this review, contrasting experiences were displayed in two. While one woman felt inadequate in her role as a mother (Gous & Roos, 2005), another recounted feelings of joy after giving birth to a highly desired infant (Stanton & Simpson, 2001):So I was not trying to make any sense at all. I was not ready to be a mother.…”
Section: Thematic Synthesismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Study settings were represented by prison institutions (Gous & Roos, 2005;Riley, 2006), participants' place of residence (Stanton & Simpson, 2001Stanton et al, 2000), psychiatric hospitals (Moodley et al, 2019) and both prisons and psychiatric institutions (Razali et al, 2019). The included studies comprised a total of 36 participants.…”
Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The included studies comprised a total of 36 participants. All seven papers based their results on data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and one (Gous & Roos, 2005) included documents from psychiatric hospitals where the participant was admitted and from field notes. Riley (2006) explored women's experience of neonaticide.…”
Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning
What is known on the subject?• The phenomenon of child killing (neonaticide, infanticide or filicide) is a rare event that cannot be fully explained by a single construct as each case involves the unique life circumstances of each woman who committed the act(s).
What the paper adds to existing knowledge?• The majority of women who committed neonaticide, infanticide or filicide regretted the act and regretted not seeking help from family and healthcare professionals.• Women who committed neonaticide, infanticide or filicide in the main had complex circumstances characterised by poverty, abusive relationships, poor family and social support or over reliance on family supports and mental health issues.
What are the implications for practice?• Women require a clear plan of what to do if they feel overwhelmed with caring for a baby or child.• Healthcare professionals involved with women in the perinatal period need to explore further women's expressions of "not being ready to be a mother" which for some women may be pathological and require further assessment.• Women need to be made aware of the support service pathways available to them during the perinatal period and beyond.• Further research is needed to explore and learn from women's experiences to reduce child homicide mortality and support women and their families.
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