The Effects of Perinatal Mental Illness Stigma on Maternal-Fetal Bonding

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Introduction. Stigma is a common barrier that keeps women with perinatal mental illness (PMI) from seeking treatment (Moore, Ayers, & Drey, 2017). These women may be worried that disclosing their symptoms would lead to the loss of parental rights and being judged as an “unfit” mother. Not being able to disclose their PMI to healthcare providers leaves it untreated, which can affect their bond with their infant, even before birth (Pisoni et al., 2014). Maternal-fetal bonding (MFB) is associated with health practices while pregnant and neonatal outcomes (Alhusen et al., 2012), but there is a lack of research examining the relationship between PMI disclosure and MFB.
Methods. Data came from an ongoing study consisting of a high-risk community sample of 46 pregnant women. The Mental Illness Stigma Scale (MISS; Moore et al., 2017) was used to measure disclosure stigma and the Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS; Cranley 1981) was used to measure pregnant women’s connection to their unborn child.
Results. Preliminary analyses suggested a negative correlation between MISS disclosure stigma and MFB (r= -.34, p < .05). A simple linear regression was used to further evaluate the relationship while controlling for infant’s sex. Analyses revealed a significant relationship between maternal disclosure stigma and MFB (B= -1.102, SE= .484, p= .028; see Figure 1). The results suggest as maternal disclosure stigma increases reported MFB decreases.
Conclusions. Findings suggest that stigma related to disclosing PMI symptoms to healthcare providers not only reduces likelihood of treatment but may also reduce attachment to their infant before birth, which has been found to be predictive of attachment later in life (Alhusen, 2008). This research can be used to inform prevention programs aimed at increasing trust with healthcare providers to alleviate maternal disclosure stigma, so they are more likely to receive treatment and have a healthy MFB.

Authors

• Gina Erato, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Presenting Author

• Ashley N Quigley, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Samantha Addante, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristin Fields, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lucia Ciciolla, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author