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Quality of infant-parent attachment as reflected in infant interactive behaviour during instructional tasks

Hedwig J A van Bakel1, J Marianne Riksen-Walraven

  • 1Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. H.vanBakel@psych.kun.nl

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|April 12, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Assessing infant attachment quality using Ainsworth's Strange Situation revealed that avoidant and disorganized infants displayed more negative behaviors and less compliance. Brief observations of parent-infant interactions provide valuable attachment insights.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychology
  • Attachment Theory

Background:

  • Investigated infant-caregiver attachment quality in 127 Dutch 15-month-olds.
  • Utilized an abbreviated version of Ainsworth's Strange Situation methodology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess infant-caregiver attachment quality.
  • To evaluate the utility of brief observational methods for attachment assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Observed infant-parent interactions during instructional tasks (home and lab).
  • Rated infants on negativity, avoidance, compliance, and positive affect.
  • Employed Ainsworth's Strange Situation for attachment quality assessment.

Main Results:

  • At home, avoidant/disorganized infants showed less compliance and more avoidance/negativity than secure infants.
  • In the lab, avoidant infants were less compliant and more avoidant; disorganized infants had lower compliance and higher negativity.
  • Resistant infants did not significantly differ from secure infants on observed behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Brief observations of parent-infant interactions effectively yield valuable information.
  • Observational methods can reliably indicate infant-parent attachment quality.
Abstract

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