Second‐generation effects of unresolved trauma in nonmaltreating parents: Dissociated, frightened, and threatening parental behavior

Hesse, Erik; Main, Mary

doi:10.1080/07351699909534265

Cited by 216 publications

(184 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…disorganized/secure; D/B). Main and Hesse (1992) note that such behavior can emerge when a caregiver not only is predominantly sensitive and responsive to their child’s attachment signals but also occasionally engages in displays of behavior which alarms the child (including not only directly frightening but also frightened and dissociative behavior [FR]; see Hesse & Main, 1999, 2006). In support of this account, in the results of a meta-analysis of precursors, concomitants, and sequelae of disorganized attachment, Van IJzendoorn, Schuengel, and Bakermans-Kranenburg (1999) indicated no significant relationship between disorganized attachment in infants and ratings of maternal sensitivity, as assessed using Ainsworth’s sensitivity–insensitivity scale.…”

Section: Maternal Behavior and Child Abilities As Correlates Of Attacmentioning

confidence: 99%

A short-term longitudinal study of correlates and sequelae of attachment security in autism

Rozga

Hesse

Main

et al. 2017

Attachment & Human Development

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In this short-term longitudinal study, 30 preschool-aged children with autism were first observed in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure and, separately, interacting with the primary caregiver in the home. One year later, each child completed both a developmental assessment and an observational assessment of empathic responding. Behaviors typical for children with autism were distinguished from behaviors suggestive of relationally based attachment disorganization. Forty-five percent of the children were classified as securely attached. The secure group demonstrated language skills superior to those of the insecurely attached group, concurrently and during the follow-up. Compared to parents of children who were insecurely attached, parents of securely attached children were rated as more sensitive. Compared to both organized insecure and disorganized children, secure children were rated as more responsive to an examiner’s apparent distress during the follow-up relative to their ratings at intake, whereas empathy ratings of children with insecure classifications did not increase. Importantly, attachment security was associated with empathy above and beyond the contribution of children’s language level. These results indicate that the sequelae of attachment security in autism may be similar to those documented for typically developing children.

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Section: Maternal Behavior and Child Abilities As Correlates Of Attacmentioning

confidence: 99%

A short-term longitudinal study of correlates and sequelae of attachment security in autism

Rozga

Hesse

Main

et al. 2017

Attachment & Human Development

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“…This was described as -fright without solution‖ (Maine & Hesse, 1990). Further, the parents of such children, who themselves classified as unresolved/disorganized, often displayed anomalous behaviors towards the child, which even if not physically harmful, could be found to induce a sense of threat within the child (Hesse & Main, 1999, 2006. This category, now commonly accepted, has been found to demonstrate significant correlations with adult pathology (Carlson, 1998;Ogawa, Sroufe, Weinfeld, Carlson, & Egeland, 1997).…”

Section: Attachment Theory Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Analysis of Self: The Development and Assessment of a Measure of Selfobject Needs

Arble

Barnett

2017

Journal of Personality Assessment

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“…Such a parent would be classified as Unresolved (U) on the Adult Attachment Interview. Hesse and Main (1999) view these slippages as brief and isolated and generally as occurring in the presence of an otherwise organized interview. They hypothesize further that an attachment figure who has experienced unresolved loss or trauma behaves in a manner toward the infant that is frightened or frightening and that causes the infant to experience dysregulating fear in relation to the caregiver, leading to disorganization of the infant's attachment strategy.…”

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confidence: 99%

Childhood experiences of trauma and loss have different relations to maternal unresolved and Hostile-Helpless states of mind on the AAI

Lyons‐Ruth

Yellin

Melnick

et al. 2003

Attachment & Human Development

117

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This study of 45 high-risk mothers and infants examined the current indirect effects model of intergenerational transmission of disorganised attachment, which posits that maternal childhood experiences of loss or trauma contribute to maternal states of mind on the AAI which in turn contribute to infant disorganization. The severity of experiences of both abuse and loss were examined in relation to both Unresolved states of mind and Hostile-Helpless states of mind on the AAI and to infant disorganization at both 12 and 18 months. Neither the experiences of parental death in childhood nor the severity of abuse in childhood was related to Unresolved states of mind on the AAI. Instead, an Unresolved state of mind and the experience of parental death contributed independently and additively to the prediction of infant disorganization at 12 months. At 18 months, an indirect effects model was supported in relation to Hostile-Helpless but not Unresolved states of mind, in that severity of trauma had no direct relation to infant disorganization but severity of trauma was related to HostileHelpless states of mind which in turn predicted infant disorganization. Unresolved states of mind and experiences of parental loss did not add to prediction of disorganization at 18 months. The findings suggest that the influence of maternal trauma on infant attachment may become more prominent at 18 months as the infant makes the transition to toddlerhood. The results also suggest that a more complex etiologic model may be needed of the aspects of early experience that contribute to adult Unresolved states of mind on the AAI.

show abstract

Second‐generation effects of unresolved trauma in nonmaltreating parents: Dissociated, frightened, and threatening parental behavior

Cited by 216 publications

References 50 publications

A short-term longitudinal study of correlates and sequelae of attachment security in autism

A short-term longitudinal study of correlates and sequelae of attachment security in autism

An Analysis of Self: The Development and Assessment of a Measure of Selfobject Needs

Childhood experiences of trauma and loss have different relations to maternal unresolved and Hostile-Helpless states of mind on the AAI

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