Examining the role of parental frightened/frightening subtypes in predicting disorganized attachment within a brief observational procedure

Abstract

Following Main and Hesse's hypothesis, several investigators have affirmed that frightened/frightening (FR) as well as particular atypical maternal behaviors are associated with infant disorganized and adult unresolved attachment. Here, for the first time, FR behavior was observed in (a) middle-class father-infant (n = 25) and independent mother-infant dyads (n = 50) and (b) a brief laboratory play session. In addition, relations between disorganization, unresolved attachment, and the six FR system subscales were explored. Paternal and maternal overall FR behavior was related to infant disorganization (n = 75, phi = .61, p < .001), and for a subsample where Adult Attachment Interviews were available (n = 32), to unresolved adult attachment (phi = .59, p < .001). At the subscale level, disorganized-FR behaviors were related to infant disorganization, but only for mother-infant dyads. Across the whole sample, both dissociative-FR and threatening-FR subscales were associated with infant disorganization. The dissociative-FR subscale emerged as the central predictor of infant disorganization and was the only subscale significantly related to unresolved attachment. The appearance of FR behavior in this 18-min play procedure suggests that FR probably occurs more frequently than previously suspected. The possible role of dissociative processes in unresolved adult attachment, disorganized attachment, and FR parental behavior is discussed.

Impact of maternal childhood abuse history on child’s attachment problems

“…Dissociation usually involves sudden onset of freezing and losing track of time, which can interfere significantly with mother-child communication and results in poor responsivity and inconsistent parenting. Recent research has suggested that dissociation during parent-child communication is strongly related to attachment insecurity [39,40]. Non significant associations between depressive and traumatic symptoms on child attachment problems may be attributed to consistent parenting despite these symptoms.…”

Exploration of the links among fathers' unresolved states of mind with respect to attachment, atypical paternal behavior, and disorganized infant–father attachment

“…In a rare study involving fathers (50 mothers, 25 fathers), Abrams, Rifkin, and Hesse (2006) found that caregivers in disorganized attachment relationships with their infants more frequently engaged in anomalous forms of behavior. However, Abrams et al (2006) collapsed mothers and fathers into one group and did not report specifically on the association between atypical paternal behavior and infant-father attachment. Further, to our knowledge, no published study has ever examined the links among fathers' unresolved states of mind, atypical caregiver behavior, and the infant-father attachment relationship.…”

Fathers’ frightening behaviours and sensitivity with infants: relations with fathers’ attachment representations, father–infant attachment, and children’s later outcomes

“…Empirical support for links between mothers' U/d classification and FR behaviour has been found in an increasing number of studies (Abrams, Rifkin, & Hesse, 2006;Madigan, Moran, & Pederson, 2006;Schuengel, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & van IJzendoorn, 1999) as well as in our own longitudinal sample (Jacobvitz, Leon, & Hazen, 2006). Even more studies have found strong support for links between mothers' U/d attachment classification and disorganised mother-infant attachment in the strange situation (Lyons-Ruth & Jacobvitz, 2008), and at least one study found that maternal FR behaviour mediates the link between mothers' U/d attachment representations and mother-infant disorganised attachment (Schuengel et.…”