Abstract

This study considers the importance of risk factors for parenthood and, more specifically, social disadvantage as economic deprivation and low maternal education. In fact, low-SES mothers are highly exposed to the risk of insecure attachment and of insensitive behaviour during the dyadic exchanges. Furthermore, literature underlines a higher susceptibility of low-SES parents to psychopathology symptoms and to unresolved traumatic stories. We analyzed 40 dyads (20 low-SES and 20 comparison) of mothers with their 6 months old infants, in order to find precocious risk factors for parenthood. Analysis revealed, in the low-SES group, a higher frequency of insecure attachment, a poorer quality of dyadic exchanges and a higher psychopathologic risk. Moreover, associations between some dimensions of the unresolved trauma and the quality of dyadic exchanges were found.