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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
01:28
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Published on: September 18, 2025
231
A longitudinal study of parental attachment: pre- and postnatal study with couples
Dominika Fijałkowska1, Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz1
1Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz , Lodz, Poland.
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
|September 13, 2019
Summary
Parental attachment to a child is influenced by different factors for mothers and fathers. Prenatal attachment is key for postnatal bonding, with maternal mental health and parental attitudes playing significant roles.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Parent-Child Relationships
Background:
- Establishing a strong parental bond with a child is a critical developmental task during pregnancy.
- Existing research on parental attachment determinants primarily focuses on mothers and the prenatal period.
- This study investigates factors influencing both prenatal and postnatal attachment in couples expecting their first child.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors associated with parental attachment during the prenatal and postnatal periods.
- To explore gender-specific determinants of attachment in expectant mothers and fathers.
- To understand the interplay between prenatal and postnatal attachment in first-time parents.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study recruiting couples in their third trimester of pregnancy.
- Utilized validated questionnaires including the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale/Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS/PAAS), Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale/Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS/PPAS), and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
- Assessed parental attitudes, depressiveness, and relationship dynamics throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Main Results:
- For mothers, prenatal attachment was linked to lower depressiveness, accepting parental attitudes, and partner relationship quality. Postnatal attachment was influenced by postpartum depressiveness and prenatal attachment.
- For fathers, prenatal attachment was predicted by partner's depressiveness, parental attitudes, and birth attendance plans. Prenatal paternal attachment predicted postnatal attachment.
- Key prenatal factors included depressiveness and childhood parental attitudes, while prenatal attachment was most significant for postnatal bonding.
Conclusions:
- Determinants of parental attachment differ significantly between mothers and fathers.
- Maternal mental health and parental upbringing experiences are crucial prenatal factors.
- Prenatal attachment is a strong predictor of postnatal attachment for both parents.
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