Catarina Furmark

I am a clinical psychologist and graduated 2010 from Stockholm University. Currently I am dividing my time between clinical work, pursuing my PhD and supervising/teaching. I teach Developmental Psychology, Attachment and Affect theory as well as Infant and Toddler Assessment Methods and Classification of Infant Mental Health, DC:0-5. 

I am a certified coder in several assessment methods: 

ADBB (Alarm Distress Baby Scale)

ERA (Early Relational Assessment)

WMCI and WMCI-D (Working Model of the Child Interview)

AMBIANCE (Atypical Maternal Behaviour Instrument for Assessment and Classification)

Currently I hold a PhD position at KBH of Karolinska Institute.

I have been a part of the research team for the Small Step intervention for 
infants at risk of developing cerebral palsy and their families.

About SMALL STEP and infants at risk for cerebral palsy

Children with early brain lesions are at risk for cerebral palsy (CP).

The brain lesions resulting in CP typically appear during pregnancy or 
around birth. This has a drastic impact not just on the infant at risk but
also on the whole family. There is a lack of evidence whether early
interventions for infants at risk for developing CP have a positive effect on
infant development. As the field of neuroscience has demonstrated that there
is a possible window of opportunity early in development, when high activity
in the motor system can lead to activity-dependent plasticity, interventions
for infants at risk for CP aim to make use of neuroplastic mechanisms.

The Small Step intervention consists of separate blocks of intensive training for 
the infant, focusing on hand use, mobility and communication. The
intervention also includes family support, coaching and education, as the
parents’ psychological health and ability to come to terms with the new
life situation is believed to be of importance. Studies indicate that there
is a heightened risk for parents to experience high levels of stress as well
as depressive and anxiety related symptoms following traumatic birth and risk
for brain injury. Parental depression, anxiety and distress can alter early
interactions. Fear for the infant’s immediate safety and future
development, separations caused by the need for extensive hospital care are
some factors that may impact parental mental health. Optimal development of
the infant-parent relationship could also be at risk, which in turn may
hamper infant development. Studies of the importance of early support for
families with preterm infants at risk have provided valuable insights, but more data

is needed. My doctoral plan includes one study on early intervention for parents

referred for psychological problems. One study focuses on infant development following 
early intervention addressing hand use, mobility and communication and two
studies are mapping parental aspects in families with infants at risk of
developing CP. The aim of the doctoral studies is to expand current knowledge
concerning efficacy of early interventions for infants at
risk of developing CP. Moreover, the exploration of parental mental health
and internal representations (i.e. how parents reflect and express thoughts
and feelings about their child) of infants at risk of developing CP expands
the knowledge within this field. Thirdly, the doctoral project investigates
how participation in an early intervention programme may affect parental
mental health as well as parental internal
representations. The overall aim of the doctoral project is to extend
knowledge of the effects of participating in an early intervention program
from both the infants’ and the parents’ perspective in families where the
infant is at risk for developing CP. More specifically the aim is to
evaluate the effects of early intervention in two groups. Firstly, the addition of Circle of Security

to treatment as usual in three infant mental health clinics, where parents experience

psychological problems, and secondly to evaluate the Small Step intervention on the

overall development of the infants and lastly to examine parental levels of depression,

anxiety and stress and parental representations in this group of parents with infants at risk for CP.