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Does breastfeeding benefit only physical health? : a study investigating relationships between breastfeeding, attachment and maternal sensitivity
Author(s)
Date Issued
2018
Publisher
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Description
Hong Kong Shue Yan University. Dept. of Counselling and Psychology.
Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.) -- Hong Kong Shue Yan University, 2018.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-77).
112 p.
Type
Thesis
Programme
Master of Social Sciences in Counselling Psychology
Abstract
Breastfeeding becomes a trend for mothers with newborns and children. Nutritious benefits
of breastfeeding are verified by numerous studies, yet limited studies addressed to investigate assumed psychological benefits of breastfeeding. The current study aimed to add empirical evidence to informed practitioners of the association of breastfeeding and early mother-infant attachment, and the role of maternal sensitivity in the relationship. Characteristics of full breastfeeding (i.e. always feed infants with breastfeeding) group were investigated. The sample included 122 mothers with infants less than 1-year-old in a cross-sectional design. Questionnaires about breastfeeding, mother-infant attachment, and maternal sensitivity were included in a web link. Simple and hierarchical regressions were conducted. Path analyses and Sobel test were subsequently performed to test the mediating role of maternal sensitivity. t-tests were conducted to investigate the group comparison of the full breastfeeding group. Results showed that the number of breastfeeding frequency per day predicted one of the attachment scores (β=.22 to .29, p<.05). Significant indirect effects of maternal sensitivity were found (β=.27 to .33, p<.001), suggesting that maternal sensitivity contributes to the relationship of breastfeeding frequency and early attachment. Results of the Sobel test was not significant that maternal sensitivity is not a mediator. In the full breastfeeding group, scores of the higher feeding frequency group were significantly higher than the lower frequency group (t35=-2.17, p=04, d=0.73). The frequency of breastfeeding per day is suggested to predict the strength of mother-infant attachment, indicating that breastfeeding provides psychological benefits besides nutritious values. Mothers with increased breastfeeding frequency are associated with an enhanced maternal sensitivity, which then benefits the strength of positive dyadic attachment during the first postpartum year.
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