Assessing Maternal Attachment: First Step Toward the Prevention of Child Abuse

Effective treatment of child abuse must be initiated long before abuse begins by identifying the potential child abuser. The obstetric nurse can initiate this process in the first crucial postpartum days by assessing maternal attachment. Through careful observation and interviewing she can identify families-at-risk, and she can then become instrumental in the development and implementation of an effective system of referral and follow-up care. As a result of her efforts such families can be assisted to cope adequately with the stresses of their parental roles, and in extreme cases, serious tragedy may be averted.