The outside view as facilitator of self‐reflection and vitality: A phenomenological approach

Abstract

Fifteen mothers displaying depressive symptoms six weeks after giving birth were recruited from a health centre and participated in a study using the Marte Meo intervention method. Subsequent findings were promising; the mothers' viewing their interaction with their babies seemed to be the key to facilitating self‐reflection, a renewed sense of vitality and increased capacity for mentalisation. This viewing thus had an overall positive influence on increasing sensitive mother–child interaction and decreasing maternal depressive symptoms. A conceptual model is outlined.

Keywords:

• postnatal depression
• video interaction guidance
• phenomenological approach
• Marte Meo method
• mother–baby interaction
• qualitative analyses
• self‐reflection
• mentalisation

Notes

1. All quotations are from interviews immediately after (Interview 2) and six months after (Interview 3) the video interaction guidance intervention.