Early relationship between parents and blind child: risk and protective factors for development.

Background: Few researches in literature focused on the study of early parents-child relationship when child is blind, especially in the first three years of life, where the sight plays a main role in affective development. In fact, the exchange of glances in the first months and years of life is the main way of exchange and affective mother-child communication, and it is the main way through which the processes of mirroring and attunement happen (Stern, 1985). In addition,the communicationof the diagnosis constitute a traumatic emotional condition for parents that may influence the structure of the interaction and the relationship with the child and that may represents a risk factor for the affective, relational and cognitive development. These non specific (the traumaof diagnosis) and specific (severelow vision or blindness) factors interferewith the psycho-affective processes that create dyadic and triadic family relationships, and may constitute serious risk factors for development of autistic or psychotic disorders (30- 40%). Objectives: the research consists of an exploratory study. The aims of research are to study: (a) the quality and the development of dyadic mother-child and father-child interactions, (b) the quality and the development of triadic mother-father-child interactions, (c) the child developmental paths and the influences that the relational models have on it. Participants: 10 non-referred families, with a blind child, were recruited at Hollman specialized center for the blind children in Padova (Italy). Children are aging from 2 to 30 months. Instruments: To each family were administered these observational procedures and questionnaires: (a) to the child: Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS; Brazelton et al., 1973) for the infant behavior’s assessment and the Reynell-Zinkin Scales (Reynell, 1979)for the assessment of development of children with visually disability; (b) to the family: Emotional Availability Scales (EAS; Biringen, Robinson Emde, 1998) for the observation of dyadic interactions and the Lausanne Trilougue Play (Fivaz-Depeursinge, Corboz-Warnery, 1999) for the observation of triadic interactions; (c) to the parents: paternal involvement degree questionnaire (Fracarolo, 1994). Results:Currently,the results arebeing processed, but we believe they contributeto identify earlier interventions to promote dyadic and triadic interactions and attunement processes and to prevent infant and familial psycho-affective diseases.