Associations among adult attachment representations, maternal sensitivity, and infant-mother attachment in a sample of adolescent mothers

Child Dev. 1995 Feb;66(1):69-79. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1995.tb00856.x.

Abstract

Associations among adolescent attachment organization, maternal sensitivity, and infant attachment organization were examined prospectively in 74 teenaged mother-infant dyads. Pregnant teenagers' attachment organizations predicted both sensitivity and infant-mother attachments. Mothers classified autonomous (F) in the prenatal period showed higher levels of sensitivity at both 3 and 9 months than mothers classified dismissing (Ds), preoccupied (E), or unresolved (U). Correspondence between maternal attachment (F vs. Ds/E/U) and infant attachment (secure [B] vs. avoidant [A]/resistant [C]/disorganized [D]) was observed in 58 of 74 (78%) dyads. Exact 4-group (Ds/E/F/U and A/B/C/D) agreement was observed in 50 of 74 (68%) families. In contrast, associations between maternal sensitivity and infant attachment were not significant, leading to questions about the processes that link attachment representations, maternal behavior, and infant attachment in adolescent mothers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mother-Child Relations*
  • Object Attachment*
  • Parenting / psychology
  • Personality Assessment
  • Personality Development*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / psychology*
  • Prospective Studies