MATERNAL GRIEVING AND THE PERCEPTION OF AND ATTACHMENT TO CHILDREN BORN SUBSEQUENT TO A PERINATAL LOSS

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal grieving for perinatal loss (PL) and the perception of and attachment to children born subsequent to a recent PL among mothers in Jordan. A cross‐sectional, descriptive correlational design was used. A convenience sample of 190 mothers of full‐term, healthy newborns born subsequent to a recent PL was recruited from seven Maternal and Child Health Care Centers in Jordan. These mothers were assessed using the Perinatal Grief Scale (L.J. Toedter, J.N. Lasker, & J.M. Alhadeff), 1988, the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (J.T. Condon & C.J. Corkindale, 1998), and the Neonatal Perception Inventory II (E. Broussard, 1979). Results showed a significant negative relationship between grief intensity and the attachment level, r = −.37, p = .000, and a significant positive relationship between the attachment level and neonatal perception, r = .28, p = .000. Mothers’ grief intensity was significantly affected by their demographic characteristics; however, there was no significant relationship between grief intensity and neonatal perception, r = .23, p = .23. Perinatal grief was negatively related to maternal attachment to the subsequent child. Nurses should address bereaved mothers and their children who might be at risk for developing attachment disturbances to facilitate positive adaptation to the subsequent pregnancy and parenthood. RESUMEN Propósito: el propósito de este estudio fue examinar la relación entre el dolor emocional maternal por una Pérdida Perinatal (PL) y la percepción de una afectividad a niños nacidos subsecuentes a una reciente PL entre madres en Jordania. Métodos: se usó un diseño descriptivo correlacional a través de secciones. Un grupo muestra conveniente de 190 madres de saludables recién nacidos de un período gestacional completo y que nacieron subsecuente a una reciente PL fueron reclutadas de siete Centros de Cuidado de Salud para Madres y Niños (MCHCC) en Jordania. A estas madres se les evaluó usando la escala de dolor emocional perinatal, la Escala de Afectividad Materna Postnatal y el Inventario de Percepción Neonatal II. Resultados: los resultados mostraron una significativa negativa relación entre la intensidad del dolor emocional y el nivel de afectividad (r = −.37, p = .000) y una significativa positiva relación entre el nivel de afectividad y la percepción neonatal (r = .28, p = .000). La intensidad del dolor emocional de las madres estuvo signific