David R. Pederson

Unresolved states of mind, anomalous parental behavior, and disorganized attachment: A review and meta-analysis of a transmission gap

Abstract The current meta-analysis examines the links between unresolved representations of attachment, anomalous parental behavior, and disorganized attachment relationships in 12 studies including 851 families. We found moderate effect sizes for the associations between unresolved states of mind and anomalous behavior (r = .26), unresolved states of mind and infant disorganized attachment relationships (r = .21), and anomalous behavior and disorganized attachment relationships (r = .34). Sample characteristics, observational context, and observational measure were not associated with differences in effect sizes. Only a small part of the association between unresolved states of mind and disorganized attachment relationships was explained by the mediation of anomalous parental behavior (.26* .34 = .09). Other factors yet to be uncovered must mediate the influence of unresolved states of mind on infant disorganized attachment; thus, further exploration of infant, parental, ecological, and genetic factors are warranted.

Preschool children's use of objects in symbolic play.

ELDER, JOY L., and PEDERSON, DAVD R. Preschool Childrens Use of Objects in Symbolic Play. CGrme DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 500-504. Developmental differences in childrens reliance on the presence of a substitute object and in the importance of similarity between the substitute object and its referent were investigated. Children at 3 age levels (2%, 3, and 312 years of age) were asked to perform actions under 1 of 3 substitution conditions: (1) with similar substitute objects whose general physical dimensions were similar to those of the reference objects; (2) with dissimilar substitute objects, which were physically unlike the referent objects and had their own particular use; or (3) with no object present. The results indicated that children under 3 years of age were most dependent on the presence of substitute objects which resembled their referents. 3%-year-old children were able to pretend equally well in all of the substitution conditions.

Unresolved States of Mind, Disorganized Attachment Relationships, and Disrupted Interactions of Adolescent Mothers and their Infants.

The links between unresolved maternal attachment status, disrupted maternal interaction in play situations, and disorganized attachment relationships were examined in a study of 82 adolescent mother-infant dyads. Maternal interactive behavior was measured using the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification coding system. Additional rating scales were developed to correspond to the 5 dimensions of disrupted maternal behavior outlined by E. Bronfman, E. Parsons, and K. Lyons-Ruth (1999). A robust association was observed between disrupted maternal behavior and disorganized attachment. Ratings of disrupted maternal behavior revealed that disorganized attachment relationships were strongly related to ratings of fearful/disoriented behavior. Moreover, mothers who were unresolved were more likely than not-unresolved mothers to show disrupted patterns of interaction with their infants. Regression analyses suggested that disrupted behavior statistically mediated the association between unresolved status and disorganized attachment relationships.

Childhood Maltreatment, Complex Trauma Symptoms, and Unresolved Attachment in an At-risk Sample of Adolescent Mothers

Abstract Associations between unresolved attachment, abuse history, and a wide range of trauma-related symptomatology were examined in an at-risk sample (N = 62). Fifty percent reported severe childhood physical and/or sexual abuse. An independent trauma interview elicited more reports of childhood sexual abuse than the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI); conversely, the AAI elicited more reports of physical abuse. Childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and general maltreatment were associated with unresolved status. Furthermore, sexual abuse history and general maltreatment predicted unresolved loss, suggesting that they adversely affected the integration of other emotional and/or traumatic experiences. Women classified as Unresolved reported higher levels of dissociation, confusion regarding self-identity, and relationship problems. Findings complement and extend empirical support for the theorized association between dissociative processes and unresolved attachment.

The Similarity of Siblings' Attachments to Their Mother

Do siblings develop similar attachment relationships with their mother? Attachment theory suggests that brothers and sisters growing up in the same family are likely to relate in similar ways to their parents, at least when parental attachment representations and interactive styles remain stable across time. In the current study, sibling attachment data from three research groups (from Pennsylvania State University, Leiden University, and the University of Western Ontario) have been pooled to assemble a sufficiently large sample of observations (N = 138 sibling pairs) for a detailed comparison of sibling attachment relationships. Spacing between the births, differences in maternal sensitivity, and gender of siblings were examined as possible sources of concordance of nonconcordance. Attachment security (including disorganized attachment) of each sibling was assessed with the Strange Situation procedure between 12 and 14 months after birth. Maternal sensitivity was observed with the same rating scale in a laboratory play session in one of the studies and in home observations in the others. Sibling relationships were found to be significantly concordant when classified as secure/nonsecure (62% concordance, p < .01, 1-tailed, intraclass correlation = .23) but not when further subcategorized. Maternal insensitivity to both siblings (shared environment) was associated with concordance of sibling nonsecurity. Siblings of the same gender were more likely to form concordant relationships with their mother (68%; p < .01, 1-tailed, intraclass correlation = .37) than those of opposite gender. Same-sex sibling concordance was comparable to the concordance found for monozygotic twins in earlier studies. Genetic factors may, therefore, play a relatively small role in the development of attachment.

Understanding the transmission of attachment using variable- and relationship-centered approaches

The interrelations of maternal attachment representations, mother-infant interaction in the home, and attachment relationships were studied in 99 adolescent mothers and their 12-month-old infants. A q-factor analysis was used to identify emergent profiles of mother and infant interaction. Traditional multivariate statistical analyses were complemented by a relationship-based approach utilizing latent class analysis. The results confirmed many theoretical predictions linking interaction with autonomous maternal representations and secure attachment, but failed to support a mediating role for maternal sensitivity. Strong associations were found between mothers displaying nonsensitive and disengaged interaction profiles, infants who did not interact harmoniously with the mother and preferred interaction with the visitor, unresolved maternal representations, and disorganized attachment relationships. Moreover, maternal nonsensitive and disengaged interaction in the home mediated the association between unresolved representations and disorganization. The results of the latent class analysis were consistent with these findings and revealed additional, empirically derived associations between attachment classifications and patterns of interactive behavior, some of which prompt a reconsideration of our current understanding of attachment transmission in at-risk populations.

Validation of a short version of the maternal behavior Q-set applied to a brief video record of mother-infant interaction.

A 25 item version of the maternal behavior Q-set (MBQS) was validated with 40 adolescent mother-infant dyads. Observations were made from 10 min play interactions when infants were 10 months old. Results show that the short MBQS is reliable (r(i)=.94), is related to assessments using the full MBQS at 6 months (r=.35), to cognitive development at 10 and 15 months (r=.48), and attachment security at 15 months (r=.34), indicating appropriate psychometric characteristics.

Similarities and Differences in Mothers’ and Observers’ Descriptions of Attachment Behaviours

This report concerns the similarities and differences between maternal and observer Attachment Q-Set (AQS) security scores for 41 preterm and 38 fullterm infants. The following variables were assessed: maternal sensitivity (8 months); parental stress (8 months); mother- and observer-derived AQS measures of attachment security and dependency (12 months); and infant temperament (18 months). “Strange situations” were recorded at 18 months. Previous analyses of these data had shown that although mother and observer AQS security scores were correlated (r = .55), only observer scores converged with the strange situation. Two additional series of analyses were carried out. The first revealed that AQS security scores of sensitive mothers, but not those of less sensitive mothers, are correlated with those of observers. Maternal sensitivity was unrelated to the lack of correspondence between mothers’ AQS scores and strange situation classification. Second, a factor analysis of the above variables revealed that while observers’ sensitivity and attachment security scores and mothers’ security scores loaded on to a Relationship Security factor, mothers’ security ratings also loaded on to an Infant Fussiness factor. This finding suggests that although both mothers and observers focus on items indicative of security when completing the AQS, mothers may place an additional emphasis on fussiness-related items. Further support for this suggestion was found in an analysis of covariance. When variance attributed to fussiness-related items of the AQS was partialed out of the mother-derived security score, the residual mapped on to the secure/nonsecure distinction in the strange situation. However, fussiness was unrelated to the mother-observer AQS correlation, indicating that different sources of variance may be involved in the mother-observer AQS correlation and in the correspondence between mothers’ AQS scores and the strange situation.

The Relationship Imperative: Arguments for a Broad Definition of Attachment

S. Goldberg, J. E. Grusec, and J. M. Jenkins (1999) argued that an evolutionary model restricted to the protective function of parent-infant relationships provides a distinctive focus for attachment theory. An alternative model that assumes that the evolutionary advantage of the attachment system is based on the imperative that parents and infants develop a stable relationship may be more consistent with modern evolutionary theory as well as current advances in attachment research.

Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers.

ABSTRACT Disorganized/Disoriented (D) attachment has seen widespread interest from policy makers, practitioners, and clinicians in recent years. However, some of this interest seems to have been based on some false assumptions that (1) attachment measures can be used as definitive assessments of the individual in forensic/child protection settings and that disorganized attachment (2) reliably indicates child maltreatment, (3) is a strong predictor of pathology, and (4) represents a fixed or static “trait” of the child, impervious to development or help. This paper summarizes the evidence showing that these four assumptions are false and misleading. The paper reviews what is known about disorganized infant attachment and clarifies the implications of the classification for clinical and welfare practice with children. In particular, the difference between disorganized attachment and attachment disorder is examined, and a strong case is made for the value of attachment theory for supportive work with families and for the development and evaluation of evidence-based caregiving interventions.