Abstract

ABSTRACT

Postpartum Depression and Parent-Infant Attachment: A Music Therapy Program Intervention Research

Christina Sciascia
This study proposes a music therapy intervention program designed to promote the early attachment of parent-infant dyads that are affected by postpartum depression (PPD). Step one and part of step two of Fraser and Galinsky’s (2010) approach to intervention research design was used to develop the program framework. The student-researcher reviewed 13 published Music Therapy articles and 12 published articles from related literature regarding early attachment. Other seminal works were included for context, definitions and theoretical underpinnings. The student-researcher used a directed content analysis approach to extract and analyze data necessary for developing and implementing the program. Results are presented through tables and a proposed intervention program. The findings show that the symptoms of PPD could impair parents’ well-being and relational abilities which likely compromises parent-infant attachment and has negative effects on infant development in the short and long term. This music therapy program is designed to act upon identified variables in order to prevent and/or mitigate the potentially damaging effects of PPD on attachment and infant development. The main actions used to achieve these goals are group music therapy and coaching of wellness techniques and parenting skills. Future research and recommendations are presented.