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6° 6éme Congresso Congrès Européen Europeo de di Psicopatologia Psychopathologie dell’Infanzia de l’Enfance e et dell’Adolescenza
de l’Adolescence
Nuove Nouvelles normalità normalités Nuove Nouvelles patologie pathologies Nuove pratiche Nouvelles pratiques
THURSDAY, May 5 WORKSHOPS
Workshop 6 Parenthood and prevention early interaction patterns
and risk factors
RESEARCH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR TWINS AND TWINS’ PARENTS:
THE TWINS PROJECT
Brustia P., Rollè L. Psychology Department, Torino University, Italy
Abstract
Twins Project funded by Regione Piemonte
since 2004 gives information to twins and their
families and also delivers psychological support
to parents to prevent to risks of being twin, like
the “couple effect” (Zazzo, 1984).
The percentage of twins residing in Piedmont is
about 3% of the population, and in recent years
there have been about 500 multiple births of
twins or triplets annually. As documented by a
number of studies, the greater percentage of
twin births is partly due to assisted pregnancies,
but also to the increased age of the mother at
the moment of conception.
Parenthood is a process of profound change for
both parents and we therefore believe that the
mental processes allowing affective, cognitive
and behavioural adaptations must be attentively
monitored and assessed in a perspective of
primary prevention that can help individuals
become conscious of their fundamental experiences.
In particular, the presence of twins entails
significant changes in the relationship between
the members of the couple and the family.
Many authors, indeed, (Agnew, Klein, 2006; Piontelli,
2002) emphasize the need of a support
to twins and their families, from the start of
pregnancy, because it is precociously medicalized
and monitored as being risky both for
mother and children. To understand what is
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happening in the minds of twin’s parents is fundamental
(Brustia Rutto, 1996; Brustia et al.
2009). For years the project has provided information
to twins and their families and psychological
support to the mothers from the very
start of the pregnancy, to the fathers and to
anyone who is involved with twin birth (Brustia
et al 2009). Starting from this point our researches
are meant as an indispensable theoretical
and methodological foundation to the
setting of prevention, information, education
and intervention programmes on territory with
the collaboration among psychologists and gynaecologists
(Brustia, 2010). Only a rightly prevention
can remedy a great deal of parental
problems, resulting in better quality of couple
life, better opportunities of affective and cognitive
development for children.
Summary
Twins Project makes researches, gives information
and psychological support to twins and
their families. A rightly prevention can remedy a
great deal of parental problems, resulting in better
quality of couple life, better opportunities for
children.
Primo Autore: Prof.ssa Piera Brustia
Professore Ordinario di Psicologia Dinamica
Dipartimento di Psicologia,
Università degli Studi di Torino