Abstract

CAMPANA, Nathalia Teixeira Caldas; DOS SANTOS, Carine Valéria Mendes  and  GOMES, Isabel Cristina. Who is concerned with primary preoccupation?: Winnicott's theory and parental care in contemporary times. Psicol. clin. [online]. 2019, vol.31, n.1, pp. 32-53. ISSN 0103-5665.  http://dx.doi.org/10.33208/PC1980-5438v0031n01A02.

In view of the numerous transformations that have taken place in recent decades within family structure and functioning, this paper aims at investigating contemporary parenthood, based on a review of Winnicott's concept of primary maternal preoccupation. In order to investigate these issues, this study employs a qualitative approach to analyse semi-structured interviews with two Brazilian middle-class heterosexual couples who are parents of children up to three years old, in which the man's participation, in terms of time devoted to childcare, is similar or greater than the woman's. Results show that primary preoccupation may also be developed in men. Based on that, we propose to detach this concept from biological determinism and adopt the term "primary parental preoccupation". The greater male participation did not figure as a threat to the mother-baby relationship. And just as men can provide holding to the mother-baby relationship, women can also provide holding to the father-baby relationship.

Keywords : couple; parenthood; qualitative research; ambient provision; Winnicott.

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