ASSESSMENT OF MENTALIZATION IN THE PARENT AND THE CHILD 18 MONTHS AND 11 YEARS AFTER A PREMATURE BIRTH
After a premature birth, the parental stress could be very intense and the child could experience a particular start of life without usual skin and body contact. These elements could strongly affect the initial adjustment allowing the future emotional regulation capacities of the child. The mentalization competencies are based at least in part on this emotional regulation which develops through the relationship with others. Thus, we can make the hypothesis that the premature birth could affect the mentalization competencies even with preterm born children without after-effects due to the prematurity. This is the purpose of the present study. On the basis of attachment interviews with parents and children 18 months and 11 years after the birth, this study shows how prematurity impacts the mentalization competencies of the mother-child dyad confronted to this adverse perinatal event.