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Chronic family adversity and infant attachment security
1Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260.
Summary
Identifying family stressors is key to preventing child psychopathology. Cumulative family adversity impacts infant attachment security, particularly when multiple stressors are present, affecting child development.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychopathology Prevention
Background:
- Multiple family stressors are linked to increased child behavior problems.
- Attachment classification predicts later adjustment difficulties, especially in low-income groups.
- The association between family stressors and infant attachment is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between familial stressors and infant attachment security.
- To examine cumulative family adversity in low-income parent-infant dyads.
- To explore attachment theory hypotheses regarding maternal functioning and infant attachment.
Main Methods:
- Studied 100 low-income parent-infant dyads.
- Assessed six significant familial stressors (e.g., criminality, maternal depression, overcrowding).
- Analyzed the impact of cumulative family adversity on infant attachment security.
Main Results:
- Cumulative family adversity differentiated secure from insecure infants when three or four stressors were present.
- Stressors related to maternal functioning were more common in families with insecurely attached infants.
- Findings support the link between chronic family adversity and insecure infant attachment.
Conclusions:
- Family stressors significantly influence infant attachment security.
- Chronic adversity may disrupt the formation and maintenance of secure mother-infant bonds.
- Early identification of family stressors is crucial for preventing infant psychopathology.