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Related Experiment Videos

Maternal self-efficacy and infant attachment: integrating physiology, perceptions, and behavior.

W L Donovan1, L A Leavitt

  • 1Waisman Center on Mental Retardation and Human Development, University of Wisconsin--Madison 53705.

Child Development
|April 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Mothers who overestimate control over infant crying may show depression and stress. This maternal perception is linked to insecure infant attachment later on.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Maternal Mental Health
  • Infant Attachment

Background:

  • Maternal perception of control influences infant caregiving behaviors.
  • An "illusion of control" may buffer or exacerbate maternal stress.
  • Early maternal psychological states can predict later child development outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between maternal overestimation of control over infant crying and maternal psychological factors.
  • To examine the association between maternal perception of control at 5 months postpartum and infant attachment security at 16 months.

Main Methods:

  • 48 mothers of 5-month-old infants estimated their control over infant cry termination in a simulated childcare task.
  • Maternal attributional style, mood state, perceived paternal involvement, and physiological responses (heart rate) were assessed.

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  • 40 mother-infant pairs later participated in the Ainsworth Strange Situation assessment at 16 months.

    • Main Results:

    • Mothers overestimating control exhibited a depression-prone attributional style, depressed mood, lower perceived paternal involvement, and aversive conditioning responses to infant cries.
    • Insecure infant attachment at 16 months was significantly associated with maternal overestimation of control, depressed mood, and aversive conditioning observed at 5 months.

    Conclusions:

    • Maternal overestimation of control over infant crying is linked to specific maternal psychological vulnerabilities.
    • Early maternal perceptions of control and associated psychological states are predictive of insecure infant attachment.
    • Findings highlight the importance of maternal psychological well-being in early dyadic interactions and attachment formation.