Emotion regulation and maternal attachment in adolescent and young mothers and their infants: risk assessment and video intervention

The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of our PRERAYMI (Promoting Responsiveness, Emotion Regulation and Attachment in Young Mothers and Infants) intervention based on video-feedback technique, psychological support and developmental guidance carried out in the infant's first year. The participants were 20 adolescent mother-infant dyads who received the intervention from 3 to 6 months and 14 adolescent mother-infant dyads of the control group. At infant 3 and 6 months, mother-infant interaction was coded with the Care-Index and a modified version of ICEP. The results showed that adolescent mothers who participated in the intervention improved their sensitivity and reduced their controlling style from 3 to 6 months and their children increased in their cooperative style, while in the control group there were no significant changes. Furthermore, dyads of the intervention group spent at 6 months more time in positive matched states and less time in negative matched states with respect to 3 months, compared to the control group dyads. Moreover, intervention was more effective for adolescent mothers with secure attachment compared to adolescent mother with insecure attachment. The results suggest the efficacy of an early intervention carried out in the first semester of the infant on styles of interaction and emotion regulation of adolescent mothers and infants.