Relates Bowlby's original conceptualization of attachment to recently developed theories subsumed under the label of sociobiology. (MP)

Attempts to clarify the developmental precursors of different types of infant/father relationships by examining early quality of father/infant interaction as well as subsequent security of infant/father attachment. In addition, potential stability of father/infant interaction and within-age relationships between quality of interaction and…

A group of 3-year-old children were observed in a Strange Situation immediately prior to admission to day care and again three months later. Their behavior was compared with that of a control group, matched in all respects except for the fact that their parents had no plans to enroll them in day care. (SB)

Examined relationship between preschoolers' attachment security and child and mother problem-solving behaviors in laboratory tasks. Found that, compared to children with higher scores, children with lower security scores on the Attachment Q-Sort made more unnecessary help-seeking bids and inability statements, were more frustrated, and asked for…

Analyzed data from a longitudinal study of 570 mother-infant pairs to test the bonding hypothesis and the good-enough caregiver hypothesis as they relate to breastfeeding with maternal bonding and the mother-infant relationship. Found that breastfeeding dyads tended to show higher-quality relationships at 12 months than did bottle-feeding dyads.…

Investigated the links between attachment and parent peer-management practices, and how each is related to children's home-based peer networks, in a sample of preschoolers and their parents. Found that most securely attached girls, but not boys, were more involved in initiating their peer contacts; home-based peer networks were related to parent…

Aim of this study was to obtain direct observations of attachment and exploration behaviors exhibited in a strange situation by children with Down's syndrome and a control group of normal children. (JH)

Attachment behaviors were compared for groups of mother/deaf preschool child dyads where only oral communication was used and where total communication was used. Results showed that very few of the children were distressed by separation from their mothers. Further, the children's level of communicative competence was shown to be associated with…

Describes characteristics of the attachment behavior of 10 infants blind from birth. Behaviors studied were smiling, discriminating tactile behaviors, stranger avoidance and distress, and separation and reunion behaviors. (BRT)

Examined maternal and infant behaviors, behavioral coordination, maternal response, and nonresponse in relation to security of attachment. Subjects were 40 Euro-American mothers and 39 Central American immigrant mothers studied when their infants were 4-, 8-, and 12-months-old. Found that individual differences on measures of maternal response and…

Assessed infants' attachment behaviors toward nonparental adults, including grandparents, other relatives, and family friends. Found that the extent of infants' attachment behavior to nonparental adults was related to infant-mother attachment behavior and to the nonparental adult's responsiveness in teaching and position in the mother's social…

Reviews results of published and unpublished research on the effects of maternal employment as they relate to: adjustment of the child, school achievement and intelligence, attitudes and perceptions, and activities of children with working mothers. (SET)

Infants' attachment security with parents, parental behavior, and child behavior were assessed at 18-24 months; problem behavior was assessed when the children were in first grade. Found that mother-child relationship predicted later problem behaviors; father-child relationship did not. Also found that attachment security, maternal acceptance, and…

Examined mothers' and fathers' responses on the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS) and ability of parental characteristics to predict parents' responses. Found that mothers reported greater separation anxiety and employment-related separation concerns and more positive perceptions of separation effects than fathers. Relations between…