Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Extensive research and literature exists emphasising that the quality of the early infant \nattachment style and psychic structure developments are dependent on the quality of maternal \ncare received by an infant. Infants’ who experience consistent, sensitive, and reliable care are \nmore likely to develop secure attachments and healthy psychic structures which will \npositively influence their future abilities to function healthily in their environments and to \nexperience healthy interpersonal relationships. The importance, therefore, for the \ndevelopment and assessment of parent-infant interventions focused on improving the quality \nof maternal care available to infants, is clear. The Ububele Baby Mat Project, implemented at \nthe Alexandra Health Care Clinic in Johannesburg, is one such intervention and no evaluation \nof this intervention has been conducted. It was deemed necessary by the team providing the \nservice for them to gain some idea of the way in which their service is being received in the \ncommunity it is serving as well as to assist them in developing their intervention further. The \ncurrent research aimed to get insight into the mothers’ experiences and perceptions of the \nBaby mat. The form of data included 8 semi-structured in-depth interviews of women who \nhad accessed the Baby mat and thematic content analysis was used to interpret the results. \nThe findings indicated that overall the mothers received the Baby mat very positively and \nspoke of the service being invaluable to them, especially in the face of the adverse conditions \nin which they live. Suggestions for the Ububele Baby Mat Project team are also provided.
Author: Katie Rachael Bromley
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2232677236