In the current study, we observed 12 mothers with a 4-21-month-old infant during their daily activities for around 3 h per dyad, focusing on daily caregiving practices such as feeding, bathing, and soothing in the rural multiple-caregiver cultural contexts of the Andean and Amazonian parts of Peru. Overall, sensitivity levels were high, with an average of 7.33 (out of 9), and 7 out of the 12 mothers scoring in the high range (scores 7-9), and the remaining 5 in the good-enough range (scores 5-6). In-depth descriptions of mother-infant interactions show that these high sensitivity levels reflect mothers' ability to multitask, combining household and agricultural chores with high sensitive responsiveness to their infants' signals. The presence of multiple caregivers seemed to allow mothers to make sure the infants were well attended when they were temporarily unavailable but combined with quick renewed availability if the infant seemed to need maternal proximity.

In the current study, we observed 12 mothers with a 4-21-month-old infant during their daily activities for around 3 h per dyad, focusing on daily caregiving practices such as feeding, bathing, and soothing in the rural multiple-caregiver cultural contexts of the Andean and Amazonian parts of Peru. Overall, sensitivity levels were high, with an average of 7.33 (out of 9), and 7 out of the 12 mothers scoring in the high range (scores 7-9), and the remaining 5 in the good-enough range (scores 5-6). In-depth descriptions of mother-infant interactions show that these high sensitivity levels reflect mothers' ability to multitask, combining household and agricultural chores with high sensitive responsiveness to their infants' signals. The presence of multiple caregivers seemed to allow mothers to make sure the infants were well attended when they were temporarily unavailable but combined with quick renewed availability if the infant seemed to need maternal proximity.

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This study assessed and compared the relationship between maternal sensitivity and child attachment in two groups of mother-child dyads from Lima, Peru, one group with children 4 years old and older and a second group with younger children. Fifty-six dyads participated in the study. The mothers ages ranged between 22 and 45 years (M = 33.14, SD = 5.50); 82.1% of them had higher education and 73.2% were in a partner relationship. Of the children, 53.6 were boys and 41.1% were an only child. The study used AQS and MBPQS to rate child and maternal behavior respectively. Our results show a high correlation between attachment security and maternal sensitivity in both groups, as well as specific manifestations of these variables in the context studied.

Attachment theory´s core hypotheses (universality, normativity, sensitivity, and competence) are assumed to be applicable worldwide. However, the majority of studies on attachment theory have been conducted in Western countries, and the extent to which these core hypotheses are supported by research conducted in Latin America has never been systematically addressed. The purpose of this systematic narrative literature review is to provide an integrative discussion of the current body of empirical studies concerning attachment theory conducted in Latin American countries. For that purpose, a search was conducted in four electronic databases (Web of Science, PsycInfo, SciELO, and Redalyc) and 82 publications on attachment and/or sensitivity met inclusion criteria. None of the studies reported cases in which an attachment relationship was absent, and a predominance of secure attachment patterns was found, mainly for non‐risk samples (NRS). Sensitivity levels were generally deemed adequate in NRS, and related to attachment quality. Attachment security and caregivers’ sensitivity were positively associated with child outcomes. Attachment‐based intervention studies mostly showed efficacy. In conclusion, Latin American research supports the key theoretical assumptions of attachment theory, mainly in samples of urban middle‐class NRS. However, the field of attachment‐related research would be enriched by also investing in Latin American studies on caregiving rooted in local concepts and theories.

This randomized pilot study explored the viability and effectiveness of the Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) for improving sensitivity in a group of 14 mothers of lower and upper socioeconomic status in Lima, Peru. Maternal sensitivity was assessed using the Maternal Behaviour Q-Set 3.1, based on the observation of one hour of free interactions at home. The effectiveness of the intervention was calculated on the basis of the difference between pre-and post-intervention sensitivity scores. Overall, we found no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group; however, when participants were sorted based on their pre-intervention sensitivity levels, low-sensitivity mothers who participated in the VIPP-SD program showed a significant improve in global sensitivity and in the Sensitive vs. Insensitive and Disengaged profiles, compared to low-sensitivity mothers in the control group. These findings are an initial contribution to establishing the viability and effectiveness of the VIPP-SD for the improvement of maternal sensitivity, especially for groups of low-sensitivity mothers in situations of greater psychosocial vulnerability.

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