Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Labor, delivery, and early parenthood: an attachment theory perspective
Carol L Wilson1, W Steven Rholes, Jeffry A Simpson
1Department of Psychology, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603, USA. carol.wilson@fandm.edu
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|April 3, 2007
Summary
First-time parents' attachment styles significantly influenced their perceptions of labor, delivery, and early parenthood. Attachment anxiety and avoidance impacted self-perceptions, partner interactions, and infant bonding.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Parenthood is a significant life transition.
- Attachment theory posits that the transition to parenthood activates the attachment system.
- Understanding parental attachment is crucial for infant well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate first-time parents' perceptions and responses to events during labor, delivery, and early parenthood.
- To examine the role of attachment orientations in shaping these experiences.
Main Methods:
- Couples expecting their first child participated.
- Attachment orientations were measured using established questionnaires.
- Key aspects of labor, delivery, and early parenthood experiences were assessed.
Main Results:
- Attachment anxiety and avoidance significantly predicted self-perceptions and partner perceptions.
- Attachment styles influenced reactions to partner behavior and emotional responses to infants.
- Jealousy of the infant, perceived support, and infant closeness were linked to attachment orientations.
Conclusions:
- Parental attachment orientations play a critical role in the transition to parenthood.
- Attachment styles shape how parents perceive and respond to their partner and infant.
- Findings support attachment theory in the context of early parenthood.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
01:20Attachment
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
01:24Attachment Styles
Jeffrey Simpson's attachment theory suggests that early caregiver relationships shape lasting patterns of behavior and emotional regulation, known as attachment styles. These patterns are organized along two key dimensions: self-esteem and interpersonal trust. The intersection of these dimensions produces four primary attachment styles that typically persist throughout life and significantly influence how individuals form and maintain relationships.Secure Attachment StyleIndividuals with a...
01:28Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles
Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in adult relationships.
01:21The Nativist Approach
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...