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International audience; Purpose The prevalence of parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children, varies dramatically across countries and is highest in Western countries characterized by high individualism.Method In this study, we examined the mediators of the relationship between individualism measured at the country level and parental burnout measured at the individual level in 36 countries (16,059 parents). Results The results revealed three mediating mechanisms, that is, self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, high agency and self-directed socialization goals, and low parental task sharing, by which individualism leads to an increased risk of burnout among parents.Conclusion The results confirm that the three mediators under consideration are all involved, and that mediation was higher for self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, then parental task sharing, and lastly selfdirected socialization goals. The results provide some important indications of how to prevent parental burnout at the societal level in Western countries.

International audience; In Western countries, recent decades have witnessed a revolution toward gender equality. Inequalities have been greatly reduced in areas such as education or employment. Because inequalities lead to distress, this development has largely benefited women. One notable exception is the realm of parenting, which has remained rife with inequalities even in the most egalitarian countries. We hypothesized that experiencing inequality in parenting when one holds egalitarian values and raising a child in a country characterized by a high level of gender equality in other areas, increases mothers’ psychological distress in the specific area of parenting. Multilevel modeling analyses computed among 11,538 mothers from 40 countries confirmed this prediction: high egalitarian values at the individual level and high gender equality at the societal level are associated with higher burnout levels in mothers. The associations hold beyond differences in sociodemographic characteristics at the individual level and beyond economic disparities at the societal level. These findings show the importance of egalitarian values and gender equality and their paradoxical effect when inequalities are still present in specific areas as parenting. This study reveals the crucial need to act not only at the micro level but also at the macro level to promote gender equality in parenting and prevent parental burnout.

What is it to be “an ideal parent”? Does the answer differ across countries and social classes? To answer these questions in a way that minimizes bias and ethnocentrism, we used open-ended questions to explore ideal-parent beliefs among 8,357 mothers and 3,517 fathers from 37 countries. Leximancer Semantic Network Analysis was utilized to first determine parenting culture zones (i.e., countries with shared ideal-parent beliefs) and then extract the predominant themes and concepts in each culture zone. The results yielded specific types of ideal-parent beliefs in five parenting culture zones: being “responsible and children/family-focused” for Asian parents, being “responsible and proper demeanor-focused” for African parents, and being “loving and responsible” for Hispanic-Italian parents. Although the most important themes and concepts were the same in the final two zones—being “loving and patient,” there were subtle differences: English-speaking, European Union, and Russian parents emphasized “being caring,” while French-speaking parents valued “listening” or being “present.” Ideal-parent beliefs also differed by education levels within culture zones, but no general pattern was discerned across culture zones. These findings suggest that the country in which parents were born cannot fully explain their differences in ideal-parent beliefs and that differences arising from social class or education level cannot be dismissed. Future research should consider how these differences affect the validity of the measurements in question and how they can be incorporated into parenting intervention research within and across cultures.

Le sentiment de securite parental dans le post-partum, tant sur le plan physique qu’affectif, est un predicteur reconnu du bien-etre des nouveaux parents. Cette etude transversale avait pour objectif d’etudier les qualites psychometriques de la traduction francaise du questionnaire Parents’ Postnatal Sense of Security instrument (PPSSi) de Persson, et al. (2007) dans sa version pour les meres. Il a ete administre a un echantillon de 874 meres francaises ayant un bebe âge de la naissance a 6 mois. La fidelite test-retest a ete evaluee aupres de 304 meres. Les resultats font etat d’une tres bonne consistance interne de l’outil (α = 0,85) et d’une excellente fidelite test-retest (ρ = 0,86). Les validites de construit et convergente sont egalement satisfaisantes. Ce questionnaire est donc un outil d’evaluation utile et fiable de la securite emotionnelle des meres dans le post-partum.

La pratique de l’hypnose transforme une capacité naturelle en un outil thérapeutique qui s’installe de plus en plus durablement dans le domaine du soin. Cet article est une synthèse des applications de l’hypnose et un état des lieux de la recherche récente dans le domaine de la périnatalité. Le champ d’application de l’hypnose est vaste et couvre toute la période périnatale, du parcours préconceptionnel au postpartum. Malgré des résultats parfois équivoques concernant l’apport de l’hypnose pour l’utilisation d’antalgiques ou la douleur rapportée durant l’accouchement, les diverses études font état d’une meilleure expérience subjective de l’accouchement, de la grossesse et de la période périnatale, plus généralement en améliorant le vécu émotionnel et le bien-être de la femme. Dans le domaine des grossesses pathologiques, particulièrement complexe de par son impact somatopsychique, l’apport de l’hypnose reste à être exploré.

Resume Objectif La perception negative du vecu subjectif de l’accouchement par la femme peut avoir de nombreuses consequences sur l’etat psychologique de la mere et sur les relations precoces mere–bebe. A ce jour, il n’existe aucun outil valide aupres d’une population francaise permettant d’evaluer cette experience de maniere multidimensionnelle. Cette etude a pour objectif de valider le « Questionnaire d’Evaluation du Vecu de l’Accouchement » (QEVA) aupres d’une population francaise. Methodes L’echantillon se compose de 256 femmes recrutees en maternite. La structure du QEVA a ete exploree par un modele d’equations structurales exploratoire (ESEM). Une analyse de la consistance interne a ete menee sur les sous-scores des facteurs identifies et la validite concourante a ete appreciee avec l’inventaire de detresse peri-traumatique (PDI) via une correlation et son test t associe. Resultats Le modele d’equations structurales applique au QEVA a revele une structure a 4 dimensions. L’analyse des qualites psychometriques a mis en evidence une bonne consistance interne, avec une valeur alpha observee variant entre 0,69 et 0,86 selon la dimension consideree. Le QEVA presente egalement une bonne validite concourante avec les scores de detresse peri-traumatique (r = 0,51). Conclusion Cet outil, simple d’utilisation et bien accepte par les meres, devrait permettre aux professionnels de sante de non seulement depister les meres ayant un vecu difficile de l’accouchement et un besoin de soutien, mais aussi d’adapter leur prise en charge en fonction des dimensions du vecu de l’accouchement et des difficultes associees (emotions pendant l’accouchement, interactions avec les professionnels de sante, premiers instants avec le bebe ou emotions pendant le post-partum).

International audience; Purpose: This study aims to validate the Postpartum‐Specific‐Anxiety‐Scale (PSAS) as a French‐language instrument, which assesses maternal and infant‐related anxieties during the postpartum period.Design and Methods: The methodology included six stages: preliminary French translation; selection of most articulate items and back‐translation; rectification of discrepancies; pilot study (n = 257); reliability and validity studies (n = 258; n = 874); and test–retest reliability study (n = 231).Findings: The PSAS‐FR demonstrated good acceptability, high internal consistency of the global scale (Cronbach's α = 0.93), and each of the factors; along with good validity, and test–retest reliability. The receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested a satisfactory screening tool.Practice Implications: The PSAS‐FR appears to be a valid and reliable tool to screen for postpartum anxieties in the French‐speaking population.

La reference consiste a designer une professionnelle responsable de l’accueil d’un groupe d’enfants. Sa pertinence en creche collective est soutenue par la theorie de l’attachement, mais n’a fait que tres rarement l’objet de recherches empiriques. Dans cette etude, 20 professionnelles de 11 creches francaises, pratiquant pour moitie la reference, ainsi que 20 meres, ont ete interroges sur les enjeux de cette pratique pour l’enfant, les parents et les professionnelles. Selon les participants, la presence d’une referente permet la creation d’une relation securisante avec l’enfant, mais peut generer aussi une certaine insecurite en l’absence de cette professionnelle. L’intensite de l’attachement est mise en cause par les participants pour expliquer cet inconvenient, alors que les theoriciens de l’attachement accordent une importance plus centrale a la qualite du lien. Ce constat laisse entrevoir un manque de formation theorique des professionnelles qui se retrouvent aux prises avec des eprouves affectifs qu’elles peinent a comprendre et a contenir.

This metasynthesis synthesized and interpreted qualitative research results on the experience of fathers who care for children with mental disorders. It followed the guidelines from the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research statement. A search was conducted in five databases. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the studies, and the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (Grade-CERQual) approach was used to assess review findings. Thematic analysis of 12 articles included yielded the theme (re)establishment of fatherhood and four subthemes: redefinition of expectations, redefinition of the fatherhood role, benefits achieved with increased father involvement, and strengths and challenges in fatherhood, all of which demonstrated how repercussions from diagnosis and redefinition of expectations of masculinity and fatherhood affected the way fathers exercise fatherhood. Fathers were participative and attentive to their child’s needs, even in a challenging context demanding integration of care with work obligations. This metasynthesis highlights challenges faced by fathers in acquiring new skills and competencies while caring for their children. The findings identify a need for interventions to facilitate fathers’ involvement in caring for their children.

Cette etude qualitative explore les cognitions et les strategies des meres francaises face aux problemes de sommeil de leur enfant. Au total, 39 meres francaises d’enfants âges de 8 mois a 4 ans ont repondu a un entretien portant sur leur experience des difficultes de sommeil de leur enfant. Les resultats montrent une predominance de cognitions associees a des difficultes affectives ou physiques vecues par les enfants pour expliquer les difficultes de sommeil, et l’utilisation preferentielle de strategies de contacts physiques ou d’adaptation de l’environnement materiel pour y remedier. Ainsi, il semblerait que les meres ne pensent pas avoir une influence significative sur les difficultes de sommeil de leur enfant, alors qu’agir sur les cognitions et les pratiques dysfonctionnelles peut contribuer efficacement a resoudre les problemes de sommeil de leur enfant.

Aims: To assess the influence of pregnancy and recent motherhood on the psychological adjustment to cancer in women diagnosed with a perinatal cancer. Procedure: ECHOCALG is an exploratory and comparative study combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Twenty-four women who had received a perinatal cancer diagnosis (75% had breast cancer, 25% had brain or colon cancer, Hodgkin or melanoma) completed the MAC44 scale and responded to a semi-structured clinical interview to identify the psychological adjustment to cancer. Eighteen of them responded to a semi-structured interview to identify the conditions of psychological adaptation to the disease, as well as the defense mechanisms used. The data were compared with that of a control group of nineteen women diagnosed with non-perinatal and non-metastatic breast cancer, aged less than 45.Results: Women diagnosed with perinatal cancer showed more difficulty adjusting to the disease than control women. Denial and avoidance are strongly correlated with a negative adjustment to cancer. The interviews showed at the start of treatment the presence of defense mechanisms such as denial and trivialization as well as a suspension of the process of psychological adaptation to the disease and the treatments. The distress of a mother is linked to the feeling of being unable to take care of the baby and to cope concomitantly with motherhood and illness, as well as difficulties related to sexuality and emotional and social support.Conclusion: Pregnancy and recent motherhood have an impact on the adjustment to cancer. Women with perinatal cancer show a negative adjustment and an important psychological distress linked to difficulties of mothering and physical and emotional consequences of treatment.

L’objectif de cette etude preliminaire etait d’etudier l’impact de trois seances de mediation animale par le chien sur le caregiving de six meres detenues avec leur bebe au sein de la nurserie d’une maison d’arret. Les resultats preliminaires ont montre une tendance a l’augmentation du sentiment de competence parentale et des occurrences de comportements de soin des meres. Cela pourrait s’expliquer par le role de support social que jouerait le chien, ameliorant la sante psychique des meres et engendrant un caregiving de meilleure qualite. Par ailleurs, l’ensemble des participantes presentait un attachement insecure preoccupe. Cette recherche meriterait d’etre reproduite avec un echantillon plus large afin de confirmer ces premiers resultats.

Les enfants en situation de grande vulnerabilite ou victime de maltraitance seraient particulierement a risque de retard de developpement. La detection precoce de ces retards est primordiale pour assurer que ces enfants recoivent les soins requis afin de leur permettre de rattraper les jalons developpementaux manquants. La grille d’evaluation du developpement de l’enfant de 0 a 5 ans (GED) est un outil de mesure qui permet le depistage de retards du developpement dans les domaines cognitifs, langagiers, moteurs et socioaffectifs. Cet article presente la structure, le protocole d’administration de la GED et les resultats des etudes de validation et de normalisation de l’outil. Il propose ensuite une discussion sur l’utilite de la GED dans la pratique aupres des familles et en recherche.

Le but de cette étude exploratoire était d’explorer l’impact des suspicions d’anomalies prénatales, postérieurement non confirmées, durant la grossesse sur les relations précoces mère–bébé et la dépression du post-partum. Le PostPartum Bonding Instrument, la Mother–Infant Bonding Scale et l’Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale ont été administrés à 209 mères âgées de 20 à 40 ans et ayant accouché dans les six derniers mois. Les mères ayant eu des suspicions d’anomalies n’ont pas un bonding global différent des mères du groupe témoin, mais elles présentent des scores significativement plus élevés sur certains items relatifs à un danger pour la relation mère–enfant. De plus, elles ont des scores plus élevés de symptômes de dépression du postpartum. Ce score est d’autant plus élevé lorsque l’annonce a été faite au premier trimestre de grossesse. Les résultats incitent à porter plus d’attention à l’impact potentiel de ces suspicions au niveau psychologique. Revenir après l’accouchement sur le vécu de celles-ci pourrait permettre de diminuer leur effet sur la prévalence des symptômes dépressifs.

Background: Up to 33% of women report a negative or traumatic childbirth experience. Given this high prevalence and its consistent association with adverse postpartum and child outcomes, it is essential to identify predictive factors and to improve the management of the childbirth experience. Objective: This systematic review explores and identifies risk and protective factors for women's subjective childbirth experience and birth satisfaction by reviewing original research. Methods: A systematic search was performed for childbirth experience literature on three online databases. Reviewed papers focused on women's subjective childbirth experience and its predictive factors. The articles were assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: Risk and protective factors are notably different depending on the study design, the country, or the method employed. The main risk factors are obstetric, such as emergency caesarean and highly perceived labour pain, and women's dissatisfaction with social support. The main protective factors are: obstetric, including highly perceived control during labour or satisfaction regarding partner's support. However, overall results are inconclusive for methodological or conceptual reasons. Conclusions: Several risk factors can be identified through pregnancy or childbirth. This underlines the importance of the quality of maternal interpersonal and professional relationships, especially with first-line perinatal health-care professionals, such as midwives.

Cette etude avait pour objectif d’explorer les raisons motivant le choix des femmes enceintes primipares de connaitre ou non le sexe fœtal et de comparer leurs representations de l’enfant porte. Au total, 31 femmes, dont 14 ignorent le sexe fœtal, ont ete incluses dans l’etude entre leur 26e et 33e semaine de grossesse. Elles ont ete interviewees a l’aide de l’IRMAG (Ammaniti et al., 1999) apres avoir rempli un questionnaire en ligne. La decision de ne pas connaitre le sexe fœtal peut etre l’expression du desir de garder une part de mystere ou d’une preoccupation non centree sur le sexe de l’enfant. Presque la moitie des sujets rapportent une difficulte a imaginer le caractere et l’aspect physique de leur enfant. Les femmes ignorant le sexe fœtal font plus de reves etranges de leur enfant et sont plus attentives a la qualite de ses mouvements. Enfin, la connaissance du sexe fœtal ne semble pas forcement induire de representations genrees stereotypees.

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic context imposed new living conditions which greatly modified women's experience of the postpartum period and brought significant changes to postnatal care.The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic context on maternal sense of security and on mother-to-child bonding in the postpartum.This study had a mixed research design. We compared levels of mother-child bonding disturbances and of maternal emotional security amongst two samples of postnatal women recruited before and during the pandemic. Postnatal depression was also evaluated. A qualitative analysis of the participants' comments on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was performed with an open-coding approach.Two samples of French-speaking mothers in the first six months after their childbirth, recruited before the pandemic (N=874) and during the pandemic (N=721).Mother-child bonding disturbances measured with PBQ and levels of emotional security levels evaluated with PPSSi did not differ significantly between the samples. A high prevalence of women at risk of postnatal depression was found in both samples. However, participants' comments on their postnatal experience during the pandemic contrasted with their quantitative data. Fears of contamination, social isolation, and lack of support were the main factors of insecurity. Lack of closeness with relatives and friends, limited presence of the partner in the maternity ward, and early interactions with the newborn with a mask appear to have altered mother-child bonding during this pandemic period.The findings highlight the importance of considering social and environmental factors and needs when evaluating postnatal mental health and providing postnatal care to new mothers during a health crisis. Health services and professionals should pay particular attention to mothers' mental health and well-being and guarantee continuity of care to avoid parents' isolation in the sensitive postpartum period.

In this study we explored, in men, one of the most common postpartum syndromes in women: the postpartum blues. The aims of the study were (a) to evaluate the prevalence of postpartum blues in fathers, (b) to explore the sociodemographic and perinatal factors that may be associated with its intensity, and (c) to investigate the relationship between the intensity of blues symptoms and the quality of father-to-infant bonding. Three hundred and three French-speaking fathers living in France completed a sociodemographic and obstetrical questionnaire, the Maternity Blues Questionnaire, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. The fathers were recruited from two maternity hospitals and a Child and Maternal Health Centre within 10 days of their infant’s birth, or from online forums devoted to parenting. At least 17.5% of fathers experienced postpartum blues. A high level of education was associated with a higher level of postpartum blues symptoms. Dissatisfaction with the maternity care and significant father involvement during pregnancy and delivery predicted more severe postpartum blues symptoms. Symptoms of postpartum blues were positively correlated with impairment in the father-to-infant bond. This study lends support to the existence of postpartum blues among fathers and highlights its possible consequences on early father–infant relationships.

The use of hypnosis as a complementary therapy in the perinatal field is expanding, however, there is little research for its impact on perinatal mental health. Here, we review studies that evaluate the effect of hypnosis on women's mental health and subjective experiences.A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA protocol for articles with experimental designs of hypnosis that measured their impact on several psychological variables, such as the presence of symptoms of anxiety, depression or fear of childbirth. Studies were evaluated according to the Critical Appraisal Skills Program Checklists (CASP), and analyzed for their designs and intervention themes.Seven studies were included and six themes emerged: preparation for birth and unexpected events; change in the perception and experience of pain; pregnant body as a natural process; connection with the baby during pregnancy; development of inner resources; and progressive relaxation and guided imagery. Although results were partly mitigated, most studies found positive effects of hypnosis in alleviating anxiety, depression, and fear towards birth, empowering women with a higher sense of confidence and improving the overall emotional experience. Two studies also indicate encouraging outcomes in postnatal wellbeing.While it is still argued as to what extent hypnosis has positive effects on physical aspects of labor, the empowerment and the increase in confidence associated with hypnosis seem to bring a significant contribution to a more positive subjective experience of pregnancy and childbirth, and on women's overall wellbeing in the perinatal period.

Parental burnout (PB) is a chronic stress-related condition resulting from long-lasting exposure to overwhelming parenting stress. Previous studies showing the seriousness of this condition stressed the urgent need to provide researchers and practitioners with effective assessment tools. Validated PB measures are the Parental Burnout Inventory (PBI) and the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The good psychometric properties of these instruments have been replicated across different samples and countries, but thresholds for identifying impairing PB levels (i.e., cutoff scores) have not yet been established. The present study aims to fill this gap by adopting a multi-informant and multimethod approach to a sample of 192 burned-out and control parents. PBI and PBA cutoffs were derived from the combination of several PB indicators, based on a preregistered analysis strategy. Results identified a score of 74.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) = [69.48–79.68]) for the PBI and 86.3 (95% CI = [79.49–93.03]) for the PBA as indicators of the most severe PB levels.

Une revue des études publiées autour de l’attachement des femmes en période périnatale nous fait remarquer la double position de ces dernières. Dans cette période sensible, elles sont à la fois vulnérables et responsables. Nous proposons l’idée d’une activation synchrone et complémentaire des systèmes motivationnels de l’attachement et du caregiving, et nous soulignons le rôle des professionnels investis dans cette période clé.

L’objectif de cette etude etait de determiner l’existence d’un lien, chez les hommes en parcours d’assistance medicale a la procreation, entre la satisfaction de la relation aux soignants et le niveau d’anxiete et de depression. Vingt-sept hommes, attribues a deux groupes distincts selon qu’ils etaient deja peres ou non (« nonperes »), ont ete rencontres en entretien et ont ensuite complete trois questionnaires. La qualite de la relation aux soignants est negativement correlee aux niveaux d’anxiete et de depression. Les hommes « non-peres » ont un niveau d’anxiete et de depression significativement plus eleve que les hommes « peres ». L’importance de la relation aux soignants pour les hommes, dans ce contexte medical, est discutee.