The exercise of the maternal function in mothers of obese children from a psychoanalytical perspective

Abstract

The implications of the mother-baby relationship on obesity were investigated from the point of view of the psychoanalytic theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five mothers of obese adolescents in Recife-PE from September to November 2013. Deficiencies were observed in the exercise of the maternal function, creating obstacles regarding the resolution of the alienation-separation process, the experience of the presence-absence interchange, and the preservation of the father’s role in promoting the law. Results highlight the importance of taking into account the complex etiology of obesity and its multifactorial nature, which includes understanding the mother-infant relationship and its implications regarding obesity.

Obesity; mother-child relations; psychoanalysis; qualitative research