Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
06:04

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Attachment, depression, and cortisol: Deviant patterns in insecure-resistant and disorganized infants

Maartje P C M Luijk1, Nathalie Saridjan, Anne Tharner

  • 1Center for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Developmental Psychobiology
|June 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Infant attachment insecurity and maternal depression impact infant stress responses. Insecure-resistant infants with depressed mothers showed heightened cortisol reactivity, while disorganized infants had flatter cortisol patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Maternal Mental Health
  • Infant Neuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Attachment insecurity and maternal depression are linked to infant regulatory issues.
  • Cortisol stress reactivity and diurnal rhythm are key physiological markers of infant regulation.
  • Understanding these factors is crucial for early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the combined effects of infant attachment insecurity and maternal depression on infant cortisol stress reactivity and diurnal rhythm.
  • To examine attachment classifications using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) and maternal depression via the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).
  • To explore findings within a cumulative risk model framework.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 369 mother-infant dyads.
  • Assessment of infant attachment at 14 months using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP).
  • Measurement of infant cortisol stress reactivity (pre- to post-SSP) and diurnal rhythm.
  • Prenatal diagnosis of maternal lifetime depression using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

Main Results:

  • Insecure-resistant infants exhibited the greatest cortisol increase post-SSP, particularly when mothers were depressed.
  • Disorganized infant attachment was associated with a more flattened diurnal cortisol pattern compared to non-disorganized infants.
  • These findings suggest a cumulative impact of maternal depression and insecure attachment on infant physiological regulation.

Conclusions:

  • Infant attachment security and maternal mental health significantly influence infant stress regulation.
  • A cumulative risk model effectively explains the combined impact of these factors on infant cortisol patterns.
  • Early identification and support for at-risk dyads are essential for promoting healthy infant development.

More Related Videos

Using Chronic Social Stress to Model Postpartum Depression in Lactating Rodents07:30

Using Chronic Social Stress to Model Postpartum Depression in Lactating Rodents

Published on: June 10, 2013

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents06:15

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents

Published on: July 10, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Attachment01:20

Attachment

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...
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory 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.
Attachment Styles01:24

Attachment 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...
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles01:28

Hazan 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.
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship 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...
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...