title: Mother-Child Interactions of Preterm Toddlers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to investigate the mother-toddler relationship in preterm toddlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 18 mothers and their preterm toddlers (group 1) and 20 mothers and their fullterm toddlers (group 2). Anxiety and depressive symptom levels, attachment pattern, and parental attitudes of mothers and social-emotional problems and developmental level of the toddlers were explored to assess possible confounding factors in the mother-toddler relationship. Two researchers rated the Parent Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scales (PIRGAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the mothers in group 1 and group 2 had similar Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores. However, the mothers who gave birth before 32 weeks of gestation had higher trait anxiety scores than others (46±2.4 vs. 42.3±5.4, p=0.01). The groups had similar Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment Scale (BITSEA) problem and competency scores. The parenting style of group 1 revealed that they had higher scores on the Parenting Attitude Research Instrument (PARI) subscale 5 (excessive discipline) (39.6 vs. 32.1; p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mother-toddler interaction and attachment security were found to be similar in fullterm and moderately preterm healthy toddlers. Our findings suggest that not the preterm birth itself but the medical, developmental, and/or neurological consequences of prematurity may affect the mother-toddler interaction. To explore the independent effect of prematurity in mother-toddler dyadic relationship, longitudinally designed studies are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karabekiroğlu
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatry, LIV Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: İpek
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.affiliation: PSI Counselling, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Şebnem
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Kuşçu Orhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuşçu
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatry, Emsey Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altuncu
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aytül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karabekiroğlu
authors.affiliation: Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yüce
keywords: Preterm; attachment; maternal depression and anxiety; toddler psychiatry