The condition tended to occur when one or more of the following was present:
(1) A child is expected to die following an illness or accident from which the parent did not believe the child would recover.
(2) The child is taken by the parent to represent a figure from the past who had died prematurely.
(3) A parent's fear, anger, depression or other strong emotion is displaced on to the child.
Risk factors: Illness in the child, real or potential
(1) The child was born with a congenital anomaly.
(2) A hereditary disorder is carried in the family.
(3) The child was delivered prematurely.
(4) The child has an acquired handicap.
(5) The child has had a truly life-threatening illness.
(6) During the child's gestation the physician warned the parents that the fetus might die.
Risk Factors: Only or last child
(7) The child the only child born to older parents who had felt themselves to be childless due to infertility or recurrent stillbirths. The parents do not expect to have further children.
(8) The parents are unable to have additional children due to sterilization, hysterectomy or concurrent disease.
Risk Factors: Psychological issues in a parent
(9) The mother experienced post-partum depression after the birth of the child.
(10) The parent has ambivalent or negative feelings for the child.
(11) The parent has an unresolved grief reaction related to the death of another child, a spouse or another close individual.
(12) The mother has a psychological problem which is manifested by a need to find something wrong with the child. This may arise out of unacceptable feelings towards the child or unresolved feelings related to the birth of the child.
