Research on Natural Settings: Observing Adolescent Mothers and Infants throughout the First Postpartum Year

Abstract

This manuscript aims to present and discuss challenges regarding naturalistic observation of adolescent mothers and their infants throughout the first postpartum year. Case illustrations were the object to discuss methodological options and issues faced during an observational and longitudinal research. The participants live in vulnerability in a metropolitan area in Southern Brazil. Data collection challenges led to reflections about naturalistic observation and methodological procedures, which were affected by setting characteristics and by the need of adapting to them. Most methodological difficulties were linked to naturalistic observations of mothers and their infants. Personal and contextual aspects of these settings must be taken into account in order to enhance result reliability and the knowledge about cultural idiosyncrasies.

Remote video interface psychological assessment during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Experiences of consultants and clients

“…We consider that these semi‐naturalistic observations can provide professionals with more realistic information on family relationships than observation in a more clinical context. There are several authors who also find that the collection of information in the patient's own environment offers more ecological information and is therefore closer to the patient's daily functioning (Bai et al., 2016 ; Diniz & Koller, 2018 ; Sears et al., 2014 ). There is, however, also a limitation in that the consultant will not be able to observe certain factors about clients, such as their personal hygiene and whether they have been drinking or using drugs.…”