Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
11:31

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting

Published on: November 30, 2015

16.9K

Attachment and Temperament Revisited: Infant Distress, Attachment Disorganization, and the Serotonin Transporter

Laura E Brumariu1, Jean-François Bureau2, Zsofia Nemoda3

  • 1Adelphi University.

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
|February 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Infant distress is linked to the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) short allele, but infant attachment disorganization is not. Genetic factors influence distress, not attachment patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Genetics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) short allele is associated with heightened sensitivity to negative affect.
  • Attachment theory posits that infant attachment security/disorganization is independent of infant distress proneness.
  • This study investigates the genetic underpinnings of infant distress and attachment disorganization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if infant disorganized attachment and distress proneness relate differently to genetic factors.
  • To examine the role of the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in infant attachment and distress.
  • To test the attachment theory postulate that distress proneness does not determine attachment security/disorganization.

Main Methods:

  • 39 parent-infant dyads were assessed using the Strange Situation procedure (12-18 months).
  • Infant genotype for 5-HTTLPR (and rs25531) was determined using established and reclassified grouping systems.
  • Infant distress proneness was directly assessed; maternal behavior was also evaluated.

Main Results:

  • The 5-HTTLPR short allele correlated significantly with infant wariness and distress.
  • No significant relationship was found between the 5-HTTLPR short allele and infant attachment security or disorganization.
  • Maternal disrupted interaction was not associated with infant genotype or distress levels.

Conclusions:

  • Infant distress proneness is associated with serotonergic genetic factors (5-HTTLPR).
  • Infant attachment security or disorganization is not determined by 5-HTTLPR genotype.
  • Attachment disorganization is independent of both genetic factors and behaviorally rated distress proneness.
Abstract

Keywords:
5-HTTLPRinfant attachmentinfant disorganizationinfant distressserotonin transporter

More Related Videos

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

3.9K
Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Early Adolescent Male Mice07:06

Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Early Adolescent Male Mice

Published on: January 24, 2025

1.7K

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...
699
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
1.1K
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. 
50.1K
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...
694
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...
711
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...
339