Critical Ages for Maternal Bereavement in Psychoneuroses

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Maternal bereavement occurred more frequently in a series of 947 psychoneurotic patients than in the total population. Deaths of mothers also occurred more frequently than deaths of fathers among psychoneurotics, whereas the converse was true in various other groups. The impact of maternal death was most pronounced in early childhood (before the age of 3) and in female patients. Separations for reasons other than death also occurred more frequently during the childhood of psychoneurotic patients. In general the critical period for maternal deprivation was before the age of 8. Figures for maternal bereavement in psychoneurosis are compared with those previously reported for psychotics and for delinquents. The need for precise definition of reasons for separation is indicated in place of the older concept of "broken homes.".

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: