Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Capturing Infant-Caregiver Interactions Through Synchronized Multimodal Data Collection
08:08

Author Spotlight: Capturing Infant-Caregiver Interactions Through Synchronized Multimodal Data Collection

Published on: May 31, 2024

1.6K

Secure Base Provision: A New Approach to Examining Links Between Maternal Caregiving and Infant Attachment

Susan S Woodhouse1, Julie R Scott2, Allison D Hepworth3

  • 1Lehigh University.

Child Development
|February 12, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Maternal sensitivity did not predict infant attachment security. However, secure base provision (SBP) significantly predicted infant attachment, offering a stronger explanation for low-SES families.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Attachment Theory
  • Maternal Caregiving

Background:

  • Understanding infant attachment precursors is crucial for early development.
  • Maternal caregiving behaviors significantly influence infant attachment security.
  • Existing research often focuses on maternal sensitivity, but other factors may be important.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine secure base provision (SBP) as a predictor of infant attachment.
  • To determine if SBP explains attachment variance beyond maternal sensitivity.
  • To investigate these relationships in low-socioeconomic status (SES) families.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study design.
  • 83 low-SES infants and their mothers participated.
  • Data collected via laboratory tasks and home visits at 4.5, 7-9, and 12 months.

Main Results:

  • Maternal sensitivity did not significantly predict infant attachment security.
  • Secure base provision (SBP) significantly predicted infant attachment.
  • SBP's effect size was eight times larger than sensitivity's in meta-analytic findings for low-SES families.

Conclusions:

  • Secure base provision is a critical factor in infant attachment, particularly for low-SES populations.
  • SBP offers a more robust explanation for infant attachment than maternal sensitivity alone.
  • Findings highlight the importance of considering SBP in interventions aimed at promoting secure infant attachment.

More Related Videos

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

7.1K
A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

1.1K

Related Concept Videos

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. 
50.0K
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...
520
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators02:04

Covalently Linked Protein Regulators

Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
9.5K
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...
418
Attachment of Sister Chromatids02:57

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules.  Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall...
4.1K
Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching II: Planning and Implementation01:24

Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching II: Planning and Implementation

Planning for learning involves the development of a teaching plan. Teaching plans are similar to nursing care plans—both follow the steps of the nursing process. Planning in the teaching process involves setting goals and outcomes. Here, goals identify what a patient needs to achieve to understand a healthcare topic better, whereas the outcomes are the action to be performed by the patient to achieve the goal within a timeframe. For example, if the goal is to educate the patient about...
2.1K