Practice Test Geeks(PMH-C) Perinatal Mental Health Certification Practice Test
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Infant Bonding Flashcards

7 cards from real PMH-C practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Infant Bonding flashcards as text

  1. Which neurotransmitter system is most directly activated during skin-to-skin contact between a mother and newborn?

    Answer: Oxytocinergic system

    Skin-to-skin contact triggers oxytocin release, which promotes maternal bonding behaviors and reduces stress in both mother and infant.

  2. A mother with opioid use disorder is receiving medication-assisted treatment. How should her care team approach infant bonding?

    Answer: Encourage bonding immediately while continuing MAT and monitoring neonatal abstinence

    Mothers on MAT should be encouraged to bond with their infants immediately, as bonding supports recovery and infant outcomes, while the team monitors for neonatal abstinence syndrome.

  3. Which attachment behavior in a 4-month-old infant most clearly indicates a developing secure bond with the caregiver?

    Answer: Preferentially smiling and vocalizing to the primary caregiver

    Preferential social responses to the primary caregiver around 3–4 months reflect the early formation of a selective attachment bond.

  4. A father reports feeling emotionally distant from his newborn two weeks postpartum. Which response is MOST appropriate?

    Answer: Normalize that paternal bonding often develops more gradually and explore his experience

    Paternal bonding frequently develops over weeks and normalizing this while exploring barriers is the most supportive clinical response.

  5. Which of the following maternal behaviors is MOST associated with promoting secure infant attachment according to Ainsworth's research?

    Answer: Sensitive and consistent responsiveness to infant cues

    Ainsworth identified maternal sensitivity—reading and responding consistently to infant signals—as the primary predictor of secure attachment.

  6. A mother with postpartum depression (PPD) expresses guilt about not feeling connected to her infant. Which intervention BEST supports both maternal mental health and bonding?

    Answer: Treat her PPD while simultaneously supporting structured bonding interactions with coaching

    Treating PPD and simultaneously supporting bonding through coaching maximizes both maternal recovery and infant attachment outcomes.

  7. What is the primary clinical concern when an infant in the NICU displays 'withdrawal' behaviors such as gaze aversion and arching away from the caregiver?

    Answer: The infant is signaling overstimulation and a need to regulate

    NICU infants often have immature nervous systems and use withdrawal cues like gaze aversion to signal overstimulation, not attachment disorder.