Attachment studies mostly follow the Western middle-class model in theory and methods. To demonstrate that the assessment of children's caregiving context is an often neglected, but crucial prerequisite for attachment studies, we (a) conducted a literature analysis of attachment research in non-Western contexts and (b) empirically investigated the…

Children's early years are critical for development and many children access out-of-home care during this time. Services offering high-quality childcare afford an opportunity to impact positively on children's development, including acquisition of communication skills. A strong, responsive relationship between child and carer is important in…

People's response to stress depends to a large extent on their sense of perceived control over the situations they encounter. This longitudinal study of 136 children (70 girls) examined associations between attachment patterns and maternal sensitivity at 12 months of age, and perceived primary and secondary control at 11 years of age. Compared…

The Instrument for Systematic Assessment of Parent Attachment Behaviors (ISAPAB) can be used to help families in need of information and support concerning parent-infant interaction. The ISAPAB is based on the assumptions that parent attachment behavior can be placed on a continuum from most optimal to least optimal, and that critical behaviors…

Presents Attachment Q-Set (AQS), consisting of 90 individual statements descriptive of the behavior of infants and young children observed during periods of interaction with primary caregivers. Items selected are intended to provide a comprehensive characterization of the secure-base behavior of the child as observed over a period of two to six…

Presents the Maternal Behavior Q-Set, a 90-item assessment that describes a wide range of maternal behavior including interactive style, her sensitivity to her infant's state, feeding interactions, and the extent to which the home reflects the infant's needs. (HTH)