Associations amongst Attachment Classifications of Mothers, Fathers and Their Infants
Undertook a study using 90 triads of infant, father and mother. Infants were tested using the Strange Situation procedure (SSP) and adults using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Where necessary, forced classification was used but all reported results were significant when using four category, 'forced' three category and secure-insecure categories.
The attachment style of parents was not found to be significantly related.
No significant correspondance was found between SSPs with mother and father.
No significant correspondance was found between AAI of mother and father.
A significant relationship existed between mother's AAI and infant's SSP when performed with the mother.
| Correspondance between AAI secure |
and SSP secure |
79% |
| Correspondance between AAI dismissing |
and SSP insecure/avoidant |
67% |
| Correspondance between AAI unresolved |
and SSP insecure/disorganized |
38% |
| Correspondance between AAI preoccupied |
and SSP insecure/resistant |
N. S. |
A significant relationship also existed between father's AAI and infant's SSP when performed with the father, although the effect here was slightly less than was observed between the infant and the mother.
| Correspondance between AAI secure |
and SSP secure |
80% |
| Correspondance between AAI dismissing |
and SSP insecure/avoidant |
59% |
| Correspondance between AAI unresolved |
and SSP insecure/disorganized |
N. S. |
| Correspondance between AAI preoccupied |
and SSP insecure/resistant |
N. S. |
Unlike Main, Kaplan & Cassidy (1985), no significant relationship between unresolved AAI and disorganized SSP was found with the mother, or between preoccupied AAI and insecure/resistant SSP with either the mother or the father.
There was some evidence that infant-father attachment was partially dependent on infant-mother attachment. This was not accounted for by correspondance between mother and father's AAI results. This is taken as supporting the idea of the mother-infant relationship being the primary attachment relationship, especially as it is additionally supported by the slightly weaker relationship between paternal classification and father-infant attachment compared to the mother. This is consistent with the results reported by Main & Goldwyn (1985).
The authors concluded that whilst there is some evidence for patterns of family attachments, a large number of cases examined could not have been predicted by the results that emerged. This study supported the views that attachment is relationship specific, that the relationship with the mother has a greater effect on the child and partially influences the relationship with the father, and that there is no direct relationship between parents respective attachment styles.