Prematurity, Attachment, and Interpersonal Therapy: A Review

Medical interventions have improved the lives and wellbeing of prematurely born infants and their families,however, mental health interventions among these families have yet to become more widely implemented. Approximately 10 % of the population in the United States is born prematurely, with a higher incidence among families of color. Parents of premature babies face several challenges that negatively influence their mental health, their ability to bond with their babies, and ultimately their children’s development. In addition to the biological impairment that certain premature babies face, their experience of medical interventions at such a young age increases their caregiving needs. This paper aims to review the literature about caregivers’ attachment representation and sensitivity and its impact on caregivers’ behaviors and infant attachment. It also overviews effective early interventions emphasizing the caregiver–infant relationship treatment guided by the principles of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health due to the reverberating influence of prematurity in the whole family.