E. Mohler et F. Resch, Early appearance and intergenerational transmission of maternal traumatic experiences in the context of mother-infant-interaction, PRAX KINDER, 49(8), 2000, pp. 550-562
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
Journal title
PRAXIS DER KINDERPSYCHOLOGIE UND KINDERPSYCHIATRIE
At the age of 9 weeks a girl was presented by her mother because of intoler
able hysterical attacks' triggering maternal impulses of abuse. Maternal pe
rception of her infant was distorted to the extent that the mother was reex
periencing encounter; with her own intrusive and traumatizing mother in the
face of her screaming child. She also perceived the infant's motor impulse
s as physical transgressions against herself and expressed intense anxietie
s about her daughter's future aggressive potential. The infant was viewed b
y her mother as extraordinarily and dangerously greedy. Even neutral infant
ile vocalizations were perceived as manipulating and sadistic. She tried to
ward off these anxieties by employing a rigid scheme of rules and obsessiv
ely controlling the father's and grandmother's interaction with the child.
The mother feared to be overwhelmed by the infant's needs if she'd yield to
them in a flexible way. A background of early neglect and trauma experienc
ed by the mother is illustrated considering recent literature about early i
ntergenerational transmission of traumatic experiences in order to demonstr
ate treatment modalities in view of protective and risk Factors.