Therapeutic relationships in a Parent-Infant Mental Health Service v.1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The experience and meaning of therapeutic relationships for mothers in a Parent-Infant Mental Health Service: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

• IRAS ID

  229519

• Contact name

  Kiera Fitzsimons

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Essex

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 7 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Maternal mental ill-health during the first two years of life (the perinatal period) can have multiple immediate and longer-term effects on the mother and her infant, as well as the mother-infant relationship. Research has shown that mental health problems may make it more difficult for mothers to provide consistent, sensitive and responsive care which has been shown to be important for their infants' emotional, social, cognitive and behavioural development. The capacity to provide sensitive and emotionally responsive care is often based on the mother's own developmental histories and experiences of being parented. Parents with experiences characterised by adversity, loss, and trauma are more likely to experience difficulties in their relationship with their infants and in other interpersonal relationships.

  Psychological interventions have been developed to improve parent-infant relationships by increasing parental responsiveness and sensitivity to their infants. The therapeutic relationship with professionals is considered to be a necessary component of these treatments, and has been consistently associated with positive outcomes across a range of different types of therapies. However, mothers with histories of adverse experiences may often find the therapeutic relationship challenging due to their previous experiences of care and demonstrate significant difficulties with intimacy and trust, which can lead to poor engagement and treatment outcomes. Through exploring mothers' experiences of therapeutic relationships within parent-infant settings, the research has the potential to identify which aspects of these relationships facilitate or inhibit change.

  Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with twelve mothers who have received care from the Parent-Infant Mental Health Service within the National Health Service. Interviews will take place either face-to-face, or via telephone, and last between 45-90 minutes. Data will be transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).

  This research is being undertaken as part of the requirements for the University of Essex Doctorate in Clinical Psychology course.

• REC name

  East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  18/EE/0071

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 Apr 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion