Maternal attachment state of mind and defensive functioning in pregnancy: predicting mother-infant relationship at 6 months through the PDM-2 Infancy and Early Childhood section.

Background: Pregnancy is a period of profound psychological reorganization, marked by increased vulnerability and the reactivation of past attachment experiences. During this transition, maternal attachment states of mind and the ability to regulate emotional distress through unconscious defenses play a crucial role in shaping early mother-infant relationships. Although the Aims: This longitudinal study examines the relationship between maternal attachment mental states during the third trimester and mother-infant relationship quality at 6 months postpartum, while also exploring the mediating role of maternal defensive functioning. Methods: A community sample of 68 cisgender heterosexual pregnant women ( Results: Mediation analysis showed that greater prenatal attachment coherence of mind was directly associated with better mother-infant relationship quality. Furthermore, mother-infant dyads in which mothers exhibited lower AAI coherence of mind demonstrated poorer relationship quality via less adaptive maternal defensive functioning. Conclusion: Maternal attachment mental states and defensive functioning during pregnancy play critical roles in the development of early caregiving relationships. The findings also highlight the PDM-2's relevance in understanding maternal mental functioning and emphasize the need for targeted parenting interventions during pregnancy and early postpartum.