Transmission of attachment across three generations

Hautamäki, Airi; Hautamäki, Laura; Neuvonen, Leena; Maliniemi-Piispanen, Sinikka

doi:10.1080/17405620902983519

Cited by 34 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This pattern of attachment strategy reversal between parent and child has also been observed in other normative samples (Hautamaki et al, 2010), as well as in families with a history of maltreatment who are at high risk for insecure attachment (Crittenden et al, 1991; Farnfield et al, 2010). To further understand the transmission of insecure attachment being transmitted across generations, with an emphasis on unresolved trauma, we chose to utilize the Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM) (see Farnfield et al (2010) for a detailed description of the various DMM measures).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Unresolved trauma in mothers: intergenerational effects and the role of reorganization

et al. 2014

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A mother's unresolved trauma may interfere with her ability to sensitively respond to her infant, thus affecting the development of attachment in her own child, and potentially contributing to the intergenerational transmission of trauma. One novel construct within the Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM) coding of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) is “reorganization,” a process whereby speakers are actively changing their understanding of past and present experiences and moving toward attachment security. We conducted a study of mothers with unresolved trauma, exploring their own attachment classification, attachment outcomes of their children, and the potential effects of reorganization on child attachment. Forty-seven first-time mothers participated in the AAI during pregnancy, and returned with their child at 11 months to assess child attachment using the Strange Situation Procedure. Mothers with and without unresolved trauma were compared. We found that mothers with unresolved trauma had insecure attachment themselves and were more likely to have infants with insecure attachment. However, the one exception was that all of the mothers with unresolved trauma who were reorganizing toward secure attachment had infants with secure attachment. These preliminary findings suggest that mothers who are reorganizing may be able to more sensitively respond to their child's cues, contributing to the development of secure attachment. While our results need to be replicated in a larger cohort, this study is the first to explore the construct of reorganization and its potential relationship with child attachment. If confirmed in future studies, it may provide clinical insight into the intergenerational transmission of insecure attachment within the context of unresolved trauma.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Unresolved trauma in mothers: intergenerational effects and the role of reorganization

et al. 2014

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“…In addition, the DMM-AAI has been validated in a number of empirical studies focusing on fMRI associations (Strathearn, Fonagy, Amico, & Montague, 2009), associations with the Infant Strange Situation procedure (Shah, Fonagy, & Strathearn, 2010), and cross-generational patterning (Hautamäki, Hautamäki, Neuvonen, & Maliniemi-Piispanen, 2010) in normative samples, and with a variety of clinical issues: anxiety disorders (Hughes, Hardy, & Kendrick, 2000), borderline personality disorder (Crittenden & Newman, 2010), eating disorders (Ringer & Crittenden, 2007;Zachrisson & Kulbotten, 2006), factitious illness by proxy (Kozlowska, Foley, & Crittenden, 2006), posttraumatic stress disorder (Crittenden & Heller, 2013) and treatment outcomes (Gullestad, 2003). Interrater reliability for most of these studies was reported to be within accepted rates for interjudge reliability.…”

Section: Assessment Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Protective Strategies, Violence and Psychopathy: Theory and a Case Study

Nørbech

Crittenden²,

Hartmann

2013

Journal of Personality Assessment

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Although it has been proposed that attachment is a key factor in psychopathy and violence, conceptualization of its potential role remains limited. This article uses the dynamic-maturational model of attachment and adaptation (DMM; Crittenden, 2008 ) and a case study to illustrate an etiological model of psychopathy and violence. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI; George, Kaplan, & Main, 1984 -1996), coded according to the DMM system (Crittenden & Landini, 2011 ), was used to identify the participant's self-protective attachment strategies, and to explore indexes indicating opportunities for change. To allow a more elaborated understanding of this participant's personality, AAI findings were compared and contrasted with the Rorschach method (Rorschach, 1921 /1942). The AAI indicated unresolved loss and trauma, alternation between delusionally idealizing dismissive (Type A) and menacing-paranoid entangled (Type C) strategies, possible depression, and the potential for reorganization. The Rorschach showed many similarities with the AAI findings. Implications for the understanding of psychopathy, violence, and treatment are presented.

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“…However, no studies have compared the two models in infancy, and only one study (Hautamäki, Hautamäki, Neuvonen, & Maliniemi-Piispanen, in press) has used the DMM method to test the intergenerational transmission of attachment. If an intergenerational relation from mother to infant were found using the DMM, it would strengthen the argument for continuity because the DMM-AAI is not predicated upon continuity, but rather upon adult adaptation.…”

Section: Is Attachment Transmitted Across Generations? the Plot Thickensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is attachment transmitted across generations? The plot thickens

Shah

Fonagy

Strathearn

2010

Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry

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Studies have demonstrated a strong relation between adult attachment security, using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), and infant security, using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). This suggests that a mother’s representations of attachment may influence the development of her infant’s attachment to her. This study both confirms and modifies that finding in a cohort of 47 first-time mothers and their infants. The AAIs were administered during the third trimester of pregnancy and the SSPs were performed when the infant was 14 months of age. The AAIs were classified using Crittenden’s Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM) and the SSPs using both the DMM and also Main and Solomon’s ABC+D methods. There was a significant match of patterns for secure mothers and babies, but a tendency for inversion of insecure patterns of attachment, i.e., Type A mothers often had infants with a Type C pattern and vice versa. No significant relation was seen between the DMM adult and ABC+D infant patterns of attachment. A significant, but modest, association was found between the DMM and ABC+D infant SSP classifications. These findings may help guide treatment of insecure mother-infant dyads by individualizing interventions to include a focus on maternal representations of the infant and maternal responses to infant behavior.

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Transmission of attachment across three generations

Cited by 34 publications

References 28 publications

Unresolved trauma in mothers: intergenerational effects and the role of reorganization

Unresolved trauma in mothers: intergenerational effects and the role of reorganization

Self-Protective Strategies, Violence and Psychopathy: Theory and a Case Study

Is attachment transmitted across generations? The plot thickens

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