Exploration of the links among fathers' unresolved states of mind with respect to attachment, atypical paternal behavior, and disorganized infant-father attachment

Infant Mental Health Journal
Sheri MadiganCatherine Boucher

Abstract

Atypical maternal behavior has consistently been identified as a precursor of disorganized infant-mother attachment, but to date, no research has examined the role of atypical paternal behavior in the development of disorganized infant-father attachment. This study aims to enhance our understanding and conceptualization of infant-father attachment by examining the role of fathers' unresolved states of mind and the display of atypical paternal behavior in the development of disorganized infant-father attachment. Thirty-one middle-class couples participated in this study. Maternal and paternal Adult Attachment Interviews (C. George, N. Kaplan, & M. Main, 1996) were completed prenatally and at infant age 6 months, respectively. Infant-mother and infant-father dyads participated in the Strange Situation paradigm (M. Ainsworth, M. Blehar, E. Waters, & S. Wall, 1978) when the infants were 12 and 18 months of age, respectively. The Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification (E. Bronfman, E. Parsons, & K. Lyons-Ruth, 1999) was used to assess maternal and paternal behavior during the Strange Situation. Maternal states of mind regarding attachment predicted infant-mother attachment relationships, and paternal...Continue Reading

References

Jun 3, 2000·Child Development·N J CabreraM E Lamb
Aug 23, 2003·Development and Psychopathology·Susan GoldbergSheri Madigan

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Citations

Sep 12, 2019·Infant Mental Health Journal·Anne-Fleur W K VischerElisa Bronfman
Mar 24, 2015·Infant Mental Health Journal·Panagiota D TryphonopoulosEnrico Ditommaso

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