Sanna Isosävi

Bio: Sanna Isosävi is an academic researcher from University of Tampere. The author has contributed to research in topics: Mental health & Dyadic interaction. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 11 publications receiving 84 citations.

War Trauma and Maternal-Fetal Attachment Predicting Maternal Mental Health, Infant Development, and Dyadic Interaction in Palestinian Families

Abstract: Optimal maternal–fetal attachment (MFA) is believed to be beneficial for infant well-being and dyadic interaction, but research is scarce in general and among risk populations Our study involved d

Maternal pre- and postnatal mental health and infant development in war conditions: The Gaza Infant Study.

Abstract: Objective Women and their infants need special protection in war context, as traumatic events can risk maternal mental and obstetric health and compromise infant development. This prospective study examined, first, how exposure to war trauma is associated with maternal mental health in pregnancy and postpartum, obstetric and newborn health, and infant development. Second, it tested the role of maternal mental health and obstetric risks in mediating between war trauma and infant development. Method Palestinian women (N = 511) from the Gaza strip participated during pregnancy (T1) and at 4 (T2) and 12 (T3) months postpartum. They reported PTSD, depressive, anxiety, and dissociative symptoms, as well as pregnancy complications, newborn health risks such as prematurity, and infant sensorimotor and language development. Results First, exposure to war trauma was associated with high levels of maternal mental health and complications at pregnancy, and with increased postpartum mental health symptoms, but exposure was not directly associated with newborn health risks or problems in infant development. Second, maternal mental health both in pregnancy and postpartum, but not pregnancy complications or newborn health, mediated the negative impact of war trauma on infant sensorimotor and language development at 12 months. Conclusion Interventions to protect early child development in war conditions should be tailored to support maternal mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record

Maternal trauma affects prenatal mental health and infant stress regulation among palestinian dyads

Abstract: We examined how diverse and cumulated traumatic experiences predicted maternal prenatal mental health and infant stress regulation in war conditions and whether maternal mental health mediated the association between trauma and infant stress regulation. Participants were 511 Palestinian mothers from the Gaza Strip who reported exposure to current war trauma (WT), past childhood emotional (CEA) and physical abuse, socioeconomic status (SES), prenatal mental health problems (posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms), and perceived stress during their secondtrimester of pregnancy as well as infant stress regulation at 4 months. While all trauma types were associated with high levels of prenatal symptoms, CEA had the most wide-ranging effects and was uniquely associated with depression symptoms. Concerning infant stress regulation, mothers' CEA predicted negative affectivity, but only among mothers with low WT. Against hypothesis, the effects of maternal trauma on infant stress regulation were not mediated by mental health symptoms. Mothers' higher SES was associated with better infant stress regulation whereas infant prematurity and male sex predisposed for difficulties. Our findings suggest that maternal childhood abuse, especially CEA, should be a central treatment target among war-exposed families. Cumulated psychosocial stressors might increase the risk for transgenerational problems.

The protective role of maternal posttraumatic growth and cognitive trauma processing among Palestinian mothers and infants.

Abstract: War survivors use multiple cognitive and emotional processes to protect their mental health from the negative impacts of trauma. Because mothers and infants may be especially vulnerable to trauma in conditions of war, it is urgent to determine which cognitive and emotional processes are effective for preventing negative trauma impacts." This study examined whether mothers' high posttraumatic growth (PTG) and positive posttraumatic cognitions (PTC) protected (a) their own mental health and (b) their infants' stress regulation and sensorimotor and language development from the effects of war trauma. The participants were 511 Palestinian mothers and their infants living in the Gaza strip. The mothers were interviewed in their second trimester of pregnancy (T1) as well as when the infant was four months (T2) and twelve months (T3). Mothers reported posttraumatic growth (PTG; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) at T1 and posttraumatic cognitions (PTCI; Foa et al., 1999) at T2. They also reported their exposure to traumatic war events both at T1 and T3 and described their mental health conditions (e.g., PTSD and/or depressive and dissociation symptoms) at T3. The Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ) was used to measure infants' stress regulation at T2 and sensorimotor and language development at T3. The results, based on regression analyses with interaction terms between trauma and PTG, showed that high levels of traumatic war events were not associated with high levels of PTSD, depressive, or dissociation symptoms among mothers showing high levels of PTG. This suggests that PTG may protect maternal mental health from the effects of trauma. In turn, positive maternal PTCs appeared to protect the infants' stress regulation from the effects of war trauma. The study concludes by discussing ways to develop and implement preventive interventions for mother-infant dyads in war conditions.

Dysregulated Motherhood : Exploring the Risk Features in a Mother’s Caregiving Representations

Abstract: In the case of a mother with dysregulating attachment experiences and current enrolment in a parent-infant psychotherapy process, we explored which insecure, hostile/helpless, and prementalizing ri...

The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child.

Abstract: This book, for those who may be unfamiliar with this annual publication, is a review of the psychoanalytic literature and includes selections by a number of well-known and consistent contributors to the psychoanalytic concepts in development of children, the psychopathology of children, and the clinical problems involved in the treatment of children. It is of interest, of course, to members of related professional disciplines and will be of greatest value to those pediatricians who are somewhat familiar with the analytic approach and comfortable with the analytic terminology used. Certainly this and the other volumes do constitute an excellent sampling of the significant contributions to psychoanalytic knowledge of the child during the past 15 years. For general interest to the pediatrician in his everyday practice, one might select the first paper in this volume written by John Bowlby on Grief and Mourning in Infancy and Early Childhood . It is discussed and

A Meta-Analysis of Maternal Prenatal Depression and Anxiety on Child Socioemotional Development.

Abstract: Objective Observed associations between maternal prenatal stress and children’s socioemotional development have varied widely in the literature. The objective of the current study was to provide a synthesis of studies examining maternal prenatal anxiety and depression and the socioemotional development of their children. Method Eligible studies through to February 2018 were identified using a comprehensive search strategy. Included studies examined the association between maternal prenatal depression or anxiety and the future development of their children’s socioemotional development (eg, difficult temperament, behavioral dysregulation) up to 18 years later. Two independent coders extracted all relevant data. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to derive mean effect sizes and test for potential moderators. Results A total of 71 studies met full inclusion criteria for data analysis. The weighted average effect size for the association between prenatal stress and child socioemotional problems was as follows: odds ratio (OR) = 1.66 (95% CI = 1.54−1.79). Effect sizes were stronger for depression (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.61−1.99) compared to anxiety (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.36−1.64). Moderator analyses indicated that effect sizes were stronger when depression was more severe and when socio-demographic risk was heightened. Conclusion Findings suggest that maternal prenatal stress is associated with offspring socioemotional development, with the effect size for prenatal depression being more robust than for anxiety. Mitigating stress and mental health difficulties in mothers during pregnancy may be an effective strategy for reducing offspring behavioral difficulties, especially in groups with social disadvantage and greater severity of mental health difficulties.

Transition to parenthood.

Abstract: Now, we come to offer you the right catalogues of book to open. transition to parenthood is one of the literary work in this world in suitable to be reading material. That's not only this book gives reference, but also it will show you the amazing benefits of reading a book. Developing your countless minds is needed; moreover you are kind of people with great curiosity. So, the book is very appropriate for you.

Women on the Other Side of War and Poverty: Its Effect on the Health of Reproduction

Abstract: War and poverty are ‘extraordinary conditions created by human intervention’ and ‘preventable public health problems.’ War and poverty have many negative effects on human health, especially women’s health. Health problems arising due to war and poverty are being observed as sexual abuse and rape, all kinds of violence and subsequent gynecologic and obstetrics problems with physiological and psychological courses, and pregnancies as the result of undesired but forced or obliged marriages and even rapes. Certainly, unjust treatment such as being unable to gain footing on the land it is lived (asylum seeker, refugee, etc.) and being deprived of social security, citizenship rights and human rights brings about the deprivation of access to health services and of provision of service intended for gynecology and obstetrics. The purpose of this article is to address effects of war and poverty on the health of reproduction of women and to offer scientific contribution and solutions.