Perinatal women often experience the onset or recurrence/relapse of psychiatric disorders. This results in limited parenting skills and an increased risk of them maltreating their children. In addition, care givers' mental health is also related to various psychosocial factors such as life history, process to get pregnant and deliver children, relationship with their spouse, social support, and economic status. Developmental disorders of their children may also increase difficulties in parenting and disturb the emotional relationship or communication between caregivers and their children. Maltreatment negatively impacts children's cognitive, emotional, and physical development, resulting in a worsening of emotional and behavioral problems and increased difficulties in parenting. The importance of medical care for pregnant women with psychiatric disorders is recognized; however, only a few medical facilities accept such patients. In these medical facilities, different nursing staff are placed in charge of mothers and their children depending on their status. It is important for psychiatrists to provide consistent care to pregnant women and cooperate with regional staff in health care or welfare.
Author's abstract
Mental Health of Caregivers and Psychological/Emotional Development of their Children
Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
Psychiatria et Neurologia Japonica
123: 740-745, 2021
<Keywords:perinatal mental health, difficulties in parenting, maltreatment, developmental disorder, bonding>