Using Maternal Representational Patterns to Evaluate Postpartum Depression

This paper investigates the link between maternal representational patterns and postpartum depression. A clinical case illustrates how (1) a young mother’s negative attachment to her own mother distorted memories of childhood experience, (2) a “regulator” orientation to the maternal role, and (3) failure to reconcile the “reality” infant with the “fantasy” infant prevented her from initiating an adaptive rapport with the infant. A treatment protocol designed to enhance both the mother’s representational skill and the dyadic interaction is presented. Specifically, treatment focused on identifying the source of the mother’s negative representations, as well as on instilling adaptive skills in the infant and re-invigorating the dyadic interaction.