The Temporal Dimension in Maternal Sensitivity Predicting Organized Attachment in Children

This study analyzed Maternal Sensitivity in the interaction of mother-infant dyads to distinguish different dynamics associated with their attachment group membership - Insecure-Avoidant (A), Secure (B), or Insecure-Resistant (C), with no Disorganized traits - that they developed at 15 months. Participants were 26 eight-month old infants interacting with their mothers in a free-play setting. The analyses used sequential streams of infant actions and maternal responses, and state-space grids to study the temporal organization of the sequences. We examined appropriateness and promptness of the maternal response to infant behavior and a dynamic analysis of the interactive process. In Group B, when the antecedent behavior was infant social approach, the appropriateness of the maternal profile (sensitive vs. intrusive responses) was related to their children's subsequent security. However, how promptly mothers responded was not predictive. Conversely, when the antecedent behavior was infant play, how promptly the mothers responded was associated with securely attached children while mothers' profile of appropriate responses did not distinguish the subsequent quality of attachment. The indices derived from state-space grids were associated with attachment type and distinguished Group C from Groups B and A. However, results from analysis of a specific region of states, 'maternal interfering response to infant social approach,' showed significant discriminant function that correctly classified 78% of Group B, 73% of Group A, and 83% of Group C. Group B infants received less intrusive behavior than their counterparts, and when they did, it involved positive affection or playfulness. Finally, regarding attractors, although more Group B dyads showed multi-stability of coexisting attractors, than Groups A or C, the differences were not statistically significant.