The family of premature babies in a rehabilitation program: assessment of triadic family interactions.

Introduction: Health conditions at birth and early relationships are important for psycho-emotional development (Stern, 2004). Premature birth is a diffuse problem, relevant in terms of medical and psycho-emotional complications. These babies' parents may have difficulties in caring relationships (Landsem, 2014). Aims of the study: - Compare triadic interactions in a group of preterm infants (Gpi) participating to neurorehabilitation program, with those in a group of born at term infant (Gti) - Compare Gpi triadic interactions after six months of therapy, with those of Gti - Compare, in Gpi, parental stress, self-perception of parenting skills, child temperament at the beginning of neurorehabilitation program and after six months - Investigate, in Gpi, the link among self-perception of parenting skills, child temperament, parental stress and triadic relationships The total sample consists of 12 families Material and methods - Italian Questionnaire of Temperament (Axia 2002) - Family Empowerment Scale (Koren, De Chillo e Friesen, 1992) - Parent Stress Index- Short Form (Abidin, 2008) - Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP, Fivaz-Depeursinge e Corboz-Warnery, 1999)Ltp was administered to both groups, other tests were administered to Gpi. Results: Ltp showed better interactions in Gti, even if, less differences were registered between the two groups (13 variables with better scores vs 11 variables) six months later, highling a good triadic interaction's evolution in Gpi. Amongs preterms' families, triadic interactions resulted to be influenced by parenatal stress, babies' temperament and parental skills. Conclusions: Ltp seems to be important to investigate the characteristics of early interactions, especially in those families need to be supported in delicate periods of life (such Gpi could be). These families have, their own functioning and tools able to identify it, can orient effective clinical intervention.