Recalled maternal rearing behaviour of individuals born preterm and their mothers : the impact of intimate mother–child contact

Abstract

settingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle Recalled Maternal Rearing Behaviour of Individuals Born Preterm and Their Mothers: The Impact of Intimate Mother–Child Contact by Daniëlle Otten 1,2,*,Mareike Ernst 1,3,Alexander K. Schuster 4,Jonas Tesarz 5,Sandra Gißler 4,Eva Mildenberger 6,Norbert Pfeiffer 4,Manfred E. Beutel 1 andAchim Fieß 4ORCID 1 Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg, University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany 2 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075 Ulm, Germany 3 Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, Institute of Psychology, University of Klagenfurt, 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria 4 Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg, University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany 5 Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany 6 Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg, University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(6), 1822; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13061822 Submission received: 19 February 2024 / Revised: 13 March 2024 / Accepted: 17 March 2024 / Published: 21 March 2024 (This article belongs to the Section Obstetrics & Gynecology) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Versions Notes Abstract Background: Preterm birth is a risk factor for a variety of detrimental health outcomes. Previous studies have identified recalled (or remembered) parental rearing behaviour as a potential modifier of preterm individuals’ mental health in adulthood. However, no investigations to date have contrasted the parents’ and children’s views, explored whether their congruence is associated with preterm individuals’ mental health, or tested associations with maternal self-reported first skin-on-skin contact. Methods: This cohort study involved 199 participants of the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES), with prospective clinical examination and psychological assessment data available for individuals born preterm and term and their mothers’ perspective on recalled parental rearing behaviour. Participants also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: There were substantial similarities between reported recalled maternal rearing behaviour of individuals born preterm and at term and their mothers, with individuals born preterm with lower gestational age (age of the pregnancy from the woman’s last menstrual period) recalling mothers as comparatively more controlling and overprotective. Incongruence in recalled rejection/punishment was associated with more depressive symptoms. Late first skin-to-skin contact was related to more recalled maternal rejection/punishment, less emotional warmth, and more control/overprotection. Conclusions: this study expands the knowledge about the interrelations of preterm birth, maternal rearing behaviour, and mental health, underscoring the relevance of first relationship experiences, including close intimate contact.