Abstracts Category : Other

Training onattachment as part of antenatal programmes : the perceptions ofantenatal programme presenters

by Zoe OdetteEloise Lubbe

Attachment refers to a strong emotional bond withspecial people in a person?s life, in whose presence the personexperiences pleasure, joy and comfort in times of stress. The firstattachment in life is commonly formed between an infant and primarycaregiver, which is usually the mother. The caregiving provided bythe mother or caregiver will determine whether a secure or insecureattachment pattern is formed. Attachment theory indicates that thisfirst attachment forms the basis for a cognitive representation,the so-called internal working model, which becomes part of theperson?s personality and forms the foundation of the person?sperception of the self and the world as well as of all futureinterpersonal relationships. As infancy is a sensitive period forthe development of attachment, the prenatal period could be anappropriate time to educate expecting mothers about the importanceof secure attachment and their role in the development thereof. Theresearcher therefore wished to explore whether antenatal programmescould be used as a platform for teaching expecting mothers aboutattachment. As a starting point, the goal of this study was toexplore the perceptions of antenatal programme presenters onincluding training on attachment into antenatal programmes. Thestudy was based on a qualitative research approach, and appliedresearch as the type of research. A collective case study researchdesign was adopted and data was collected by means ofsemi-structured interviews that were conducted with a sample of tenpresenters of antenatal programmes in the Tshwane district. Theparticipants were selected by means of purposive sampling. Data wasanalysed according to methods for qualitative data analysis, andrelevant ethical considerations were followed during the study. Theresearch findings indicate that the participants were aware of theimportance and benefits of secure attachment and that they had apositive attitude towards the inclusion of training on attachmentinto antenatal programmes. They were eager to receive training onattachment and to adapt their programmes to include training onattachment. The researcher concludes that it would be feasible andbeneficial to include training on attachment into antenatalprogrammes, and to train antenatal programme presenters for thispurpose. The provision of training on attachment to nurses andraising awareness of attachment in the private and public healthcare sectors could facilitate greater knowledge of attachment forexpecting mothers. Further research in diverse settings, such as inprivate and public clinics and hospitals in different geographicalareas, is recommended.Advisors/Committee Members: Le Roux, M.P. (Liana) (advisor).