The Stability of Individual Differences in Child-Mother Attachment across 3 Year Periods

애착의 지속성에 관한 단기종단적 연구 : 영아기의 낯선상황 애착유형과 유아기의 애착안정성

This article reports the developmental stability of individual differences in children's attachment qualities with their mothers and the relations between the preschoolers' attachment security to mothers and maternal parenting behavior. 24 infants were observed with mothers in the Strange Situation to assess the infant-mother attachment patterns at 16 months of age. After 3 years, attachment security was assessed using Attachment Q-Set, and the modified IPBI (Iowa Parent Behavior Inventory: Mother Form) was administered to mothers to assess their parenting behavior. Analyses revealed significant differences in children's attachment security scores by infancy attachment patterns. That is 11 of 12 children's attachment to mothers qualities were stable across the 3 year periods. The attachment security scores related positively to the responsive maternal parenting behavior. Changes in child-mother attachment quality over time were related to maternal responsiveness. Collectively, these findings were consistent with predictions from attachment theory.