Maternal behaviors associated with smothering: A preliminary descriptive study

Objectives: To describe maternal behavior in 15 women identified as having smothered their children. Design: A descriptive study of maternal behavior and interaction with her c hild, using videotapes of mother and child together. These were obtained by covert video surveillance in a hospital setting. Maternal behavior was rat ed using an assessment schedule designed to he used with video. Results: The mothers showed a range of behaviors. Three groups emerged; one whose interaction with the child resembled normal maternal behavior, a sec ond who interacted in a hostile way, and a third who showed a paucity of in teraction. Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest that smothering may reflect more than one type of abnormal maternal relationship or attitude towards childr en. This may have implications For treatment and prognosis. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Ltd.