Another Look Inside the Gap: Ecological Contributions to the Transmission of Attachment in a Sample of Adolescent Mother-Infant Dyads.

Abstract

Ecological contributions to attachment transmission were studied in a sample of 64 adolescent mother-infant dyads. Maternal sensitivity was assessed when infants were 6 and 10 months old, and infant security was assessed at 15 and 18 months. Maternal attachment state of mind was measured with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) after the 1st assessment. Ecological variables considered were maternal education and depression, paternal support, and infant maternal grandmother support. Results indicated that when the contribution of ecological variables was statistically controlled for, sensitivity was a significant mediator and state of mind no longer contributed to infant security. Sensitivity also mediated an association between maternal education and infant attachment, suggesting that attachment transmission is embedded in a more global process of infant attachment development.

Stability in Maternal Autonomy Support and Child Executive Functioning

“…Moreover, research shows that using multiple observations of parenting behavior is sound on psychometric as well as developmental levels, as it allows for more reliable measurement while providing an arguably more accurate view of the child's overall experience with this parent (Bernier et al 2012;Ellenbogen and Hodgins 2004;Grossmann et al 2002;Tarabulsy et al 2005). Indeed, having more than one assessment of the same parenting behavior across time can reduce measurement error and yield a more accurate estimate of the average level of the behavior as displayed by the parent in everyday life.…”

The quality of maternal secure-base scripts predicts children's secure-base behavior at home in three sociocultural groups

“…Just what it is that mothers do (and how they do it) with their children, that leads to the convergence between maternal representation and child behavior remains unexplored here. Traditionally, this link has been identified as "maternal sensitivity to child communicative signals" (Ainsworth et al, 1978) but evidence for sensitivity as a mediating mechanism is equivocal, with some investigators failing to find evidence for mediation (Atkinson et al, 2005) and others reporting that sensitivity mediates between maternal state of mind and attachment security, but only when controlling for relevant demographic and personality variables (Tarabulsy et al, 2005). It is possible that mothers in different sociocultural groups, who endorse different child-rearing values, goals, and practices may link maternal representations to child behavior using different transactional means.…”

Cuidado materno y seguridad del apego antes del primer año de vida

“…(Marrone, 2001) al cumplir un rol central en la organización de su conducta de base segura y con ello en la seguridad del vínculo de apego (Bowlby, 1988;Coleman & Watson, 2000;Marrone, 2001;Oliva, 2004;van IJzerdoorn & Sagi-Schwartz, 2008). Esta evidencia a favor de la organización recí-proca del sistema de apego del niño de 8 a 10 meses y de la calidad del cuidado materno (Bowlby, 1982), apoya el postulado de la universalidad de una de las principales hipótesis de la teoría del apego (van IJzerdoorn & Sagi-Schwartz, 2008) la cual ha sido comprobada en estudios previos en grupos de niños de mayor edad (Atkinson et al, 2000;Atkinson et al, 2005;Behrens et al, 2011;Blesky, 1997;Braungart-Rieker et al, 2001;De Wolff & van Ijzendoorn, 1997;Goldsmith & Alansky, 1987;Leerkes, 2011;Nievar & Becker, 2008;Ravala et al, 2001;Seifer et al, 1996;Sroufe, 2005;Tarabulsky et al, 2005).…”

“…La relación entre la sensibilidad materna y la seguridad del apego ha sido demostrada en numerosas investigaciones realizadas en diversos contextos (Atkinson et al, 2005;Behrens, Parker, & Haltigan, 2011;Belsky, 1997;Braungart-Rieker, Garwood, Powers, & Wang, 2001;Leerkes, 2011;Ravala et al, 2001;Seifer, Schiller, Resnick, Riordan, & Sameroff, 1996;Sroufe, 2005;Tarabulsky et al, 2005). Por un lado, los meta-análisis que han estudiado esta relación en diversos contextos han reportado asociaciones de débiles a moderadas entre ambas variables (Atkinson et al, 2000;De Wolff & van IJzendoorn, 1997;Goldsmith & Alansky, 1987;Nievar & Becker, 2008).…”