Early Temperament and Attachment Security with Mothers and Fathers as Predictors of Toddler Compliance and Noncompliance

Abstract

This longitudinal study (n = 106) examined associations between temperament, attachment, and styles of compliance and noncompliance. Infant negative temperamental reactivity was reported by mothers at 3, 5 and 7 months. Infant attachment was assessed (Strange Situation) at 12 (mothers) and 14 months (fathers). Toddlers' styles of compliance/noncompliance were measured using two laboratory contexts (clean‐up/delay) at 20 months. Results indicated that temperament and attachment predicted toddler behaviour. Toddlers who were secure with mothers and low in temperamental negative reactivity showed more committed compliance than those who were insecure and low in negative reactivity or secure and high in negative reactivity. In addition, interactions revealed that relations between infant–mother attachment and defiance depended on infant–father attachment security, temperament and context. Findings highlight the differential and complex roles of temperament and attachment as potential precursors of later social competence. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Attachment and Temperament in the Early Life Course: A Meta‐Analytic Review

“…Recent research has provided some support for this idea (Gilissen, Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Van IJzendoorn, & Van der Veer, ; McElwain, Holland, Engle, & Wong, ; Stupica, Sherman, & Cassidy, ; cf. Lickenbrock et al., ; see Vaughn & Bost, ), but further research is necessary to determine whether the differential susceptibility framework might serve as a rigorous theoretical framework for bridging attachment and temperament perspectives on child development.…”

Attachment in the making: Mother and father sensitivity and infants’ responses during the Still-Face Paradigm

“…Previous work stemming from these data include three publications examining attachment but not infant SFP responses (Lickenbrock, Braungart-Rieker, Ekas, Zentall, Oshio, & Planalp, in press; Planalp & Braungart-Rieker, 2013; and Zentall, Braungart-Rieker, Ekas, & Lickenbrock, 2012), one examining second-by-second associations between affective and behavioral responses within the SFP but not attachment (Ekas, Lickenbrock, & Braungart-Rieker, 2013), and two looking neither at attachment nor infant SFP responses (Ekas, Braungart-Rieker, Lickenbrock, Zentall, & Maxwell, 2011; Planalp, Braungart-Rieker, Lickenbrock, & Zentall, S. (in press). For the purposes of this study, data from all but the last visit were examined.…”

The development of children’s inhibition: Does parenting matter?

“…In a recent study, infants' compliance at 20 months of age was predicted by their temperament at 3, 5, and 7 months of age and by their attachment to the mother and father at 12 to 14 months of age. Mothers and fathers were both found to contribute to outcomes in terms of later social competence (Lickenbrock et al, 2013). Second, empirical research on this topic is mostly cross-sectional or based on prospective longitudinal studies.…”