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Childhood Separation Experiences and Psycho-Social Status in Primiparous Women: Preliminary Findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

S. N. Wolkind
Affiliation:
The Family Research Unit, London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, London, E.1
S. J. Kruk
Affiliation:
The Family Research Unit, London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, London, E.1
L. P. Chaves
Affiliation:
The Family Research Unit, London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, London, E.1

Summary

In a group of British-born primiparous women, admission of a separation experience from parents in childhood was found to be associated with unmarried status, teenage pregnancy, having had psychiatric treatment, housing problems and a high score on a ‘Malaise’ inventory. Within the separated group the unmarried and teenage status were associated only with separations occurring in the context of a disrupted childhood, but were not related to the age of the separations. The Malaise score, however, was raised both for disrupted separations and for those occurring below the age of 5. It is noted that the factors associated with the separation in the mothers are those which have been found to be more common in the mothers of children with behaviour disorders.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1976 

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