Work

Pregnancy denial and maternal style, including attachment representation: a prospective exposed/not exposed study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction The psychopathology of pregnancy denial is under-researched. We aim to understand maternal risk profile. We hypothesized that mothers’ insecure attachment styles may increase vulnerability to pregnancy denial. Methods It is a French multicentric prospective exposed/not exposed study; 71 case mothers with pregnancy denial (D+) and 71 control mothers without pregnancy denial (D-) at inclusion and 70 mothers at 8 weeks postpartum (D+: 24, D-: 46). Data were collected 8 weeks postpartum through self-questionnaires and structured clinical assessment evaluating mothers’ attachment style representation (Attachment Script Assessment [ASA]), personality traits (International Personality Disorders Examination [IPDE]), psychiatric profiles (Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II], State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI-Y], Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]), and socio-medical profiles. Results Based on the ASA, D+ women seem to be associate to more insecure attachment style representation: median scores of 2.50 in the D+ group and 3.38 in the D- group. D+ mothers tend to have more frequent indications of social disadvantage, especially in terms of house accommodations and marital status. Differences between the two groups were not statistically significant for EPDS postnatal depression score, BDI depression score, STAI anxiety score; while D+ women tend to be associated with higher borderline and paranoid traits based on the IPDE screening. Conclusions D+ mothers seem to be associate to more insecure attachment style representations and greater social vulnerability without differences in terms of associated emotional symptoms. Identifying mothers with insecure histories is crucial for psychosocial support.

Source: BMC Psychology

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-05760-3