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Disorders of excessive crying, feeding, and sleeping: The Munich Interdisciplinary Research and Intervention Program
Author(s) -
Hofacker N. v.,
Papoušek M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0355(199822)19:2<180::aid-imhj7>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - psychology , crying , intervention (counseling) , distress , psychosocial , dysfunctional family , developmental psychology , psychopathology , clinical psychology , developmental psychopathology , psychotherapist , psychiatry
The Munich Interdisciplinary Research and Intervention Program (MIRIP 1991) is an inter‐disciplinary diagnostic and intervention service for families with regulatory disturbed infants (excessive crying, feeding/sleeping disturbances, disturbances of attachment/exploration, disturbances of autonomy/control). In addition, the systematic collection of data serve to investigate the etiology, clinical course, and possible treatments of regulatory problems in infancy. The program is based on a systemic model of early developmental psychopathology. Diagnostic procedures include a semistructured clinical interview, a developmental neuropediatric examination; behavioral diaries; questionnaires on infant temperament, the mother's psychological condition, marital satisfaction, and social support; and videotaped mother–infant interactions in age‐related contexts. As is evident from the data analysis, regulatory disturbances in infancy may be associated with (1) maladaptive regulatory patterns in several domains (e.g., excessive crying and disturbed sleep‐wake organization), (2) high maternal distress and multiple psychosocial risk factors, and (3) considerable distress of the early mother/parent–infant relationship and communication. Interaction‐centered infant–parent psychotherapy is an interdisciplinary, multidimensional therapeutic approach for families with regulatory disturbed infants. It targets upon dysfunctional patterns of mother/parent–infant communication. Particular emphasis is put on restoring the parents' intuitive capacities. The approach hasproved to be effective within short time periods and aims at preventing later developmental problems. © 1998 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health