A pilot study on perceived maternal bonding in late adolescents and young adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: does the time of diagnosis impact on maternal bonding?

The achievement of independence from family may be more challenging for late adolescents and emerging adults affected by cardiomyopathy than for their healthy peers. Although non-optimal parenting styles are known to hinder the development of independence, particularly when the diagnosis occurs in childhood, few studies have explored how perceived maternal parenting differs between young people with cardiomyopathy and their healthy peers, and how the timing of diagnosis might influence these perceptions. The present pilot study aims to fill this gap by i) comparing the level of maternal care, autonomy support, and overprotection reported by late adolescents and emerging adults affected by cardiomyopathy and their healthy peers, and ii) examining whether these maternal bonding dimensions differ according to the developmental stage at which the diagnosis was received (childhood, adolescence, or emerging adulthood). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 participants (16-30 years). The sample included 60 participants (81.7% males) with cardiomyopathy recruited through the Italian Association of Cardiomyopathy (clinical group) and 60 participants without heart disease (control group paired for gender and age). Participants completed a questionnaire including clinical and sociodemographic data and the Parental Bonding Instrument. The results showed that the clinical group reported lower maternal autonomy support and higher overprotection than the control group, with no differences in perceived care. Moreover, Kruskal - Wallis nonparametric tests indicated that, within the clinical group, participants diagnosed in childhood perceived higher overprotection and lower autonomy support than those diagnosed later in life. Overall, these findings suggest that families receiving a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy during a child's early years should be supported in promoting autonomy and reducing overprotective behaviour, as excessive parental protection may hinder the development of independence and psychosocial adjustment.