Psychology

Maternal correlates of stability and change in infant‐mother attachment

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The relations between maternal control style, sensitivity, and childrearing attitudes on one hand and the stability of the infant‐mother attachment relationship on the other were examined in a sample of 38 mother‐infant dyads. The mother‐child pairs were observed during a structured play session and in Ainsworth's Strange Situation when the infants were 12 and 20 months old, a developmental period characterized by increased autonomous functioning. Our results suggested that infants whose mothers had nonpunitive childrearing attitudes, were sensitive, and supportive of their infants' striving toward autonomy remained, or became, secure in their attachment relationship over their second year of life. Mothers who were more punitive, more controlling, and less sensitive had infants who either remained or became insecurely attached across this developmental period. While previous research has linked attachment stability to socioeconomic factors, the present investigation points to the importance of more subtle interactive variables to the understanding of the attachment relationship. Copyright © 1985 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health

Publication Title

Infant Mental Health Journal

Publication Date

1985

Volume

6

Issue

2

First Page

60

Last Page

67

ISSN

0163-9641

DOI

10.1002/1097-0355(198522)6:2<60::AID-IMHJ2280060203>3.0.CO;2-Q

Keywords

maternal control style & sensitivity & childrearing attitudes, attachment security, mothers & their infants observed at 12 & 20 mo old

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