Vinculação pré-natal e vivência psicológica da gravidez

: implicações da pandemia COVID-19?

Abstract

The present study aims to enhance the knowledge about questions related to prenatal attachment and to the psychological experience of pregnancy of women in Portugal, considering the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. An exploratory study was conducted, integrating 2 sub-samples of pregnant women, one during, and one before the pandemic. The instruments used were the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS), as well as the Scale of Attitudes Towards Pregnancy and Motherhood (SATPM). The results showed that there are no differences between the two sub-samples, concerning the MAAS and SATPM, but our samples displayed an existence of significant correlations between the scales, in both sub-samples. Considering the new circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that there is a significant change to the “normality” of the world we used to live in, with new challenges, although in this particular investigation, it doesn’t seem to hinder prenatal attachment and psychological experience of pregnancy. Therefore, this study contributed to enhance the knowledge, to avoid/prevent negative outcomes, especially when it concerns pregnancy-related aspects. However, more studies are needed to be able to strengthen the conclusions of this exploratory study.

Date of Award	14 Jul 2020
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria Raul Xavier (Supervisor)