Hierarchical linear modelling was used to explore the effect of changes in maternal sensitivity on attachment over time. Child characteristics of gender, temperament, and developmental status were used as moderating factors. Data from 1,249 mothers and their children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development when the children…

The importance of parent-child relationships for child developmental outcomes suggests a need to incorporate a relationship focus into early intervention programs for children with developmental delays. Nevertheless, confusion exists about the definition and application of relationship-focussed interventions, and occupational therapists remain…

Given the legacy of John Bowlby, Attachment theory has often portrayed separation from a caregiver as likely to provoke protest, despair, and ultimately detachment in infants and young children. Indeed, the emotional challenge of separation is built into a key measurement tool of Attachment theory, the Strange Situation. However, James Robertson,…

Within this literature-based article the authors consider the importance and power of relationships, within the field of early years education and care (ECEC). Drawing on the lenses of attachment and development theory, alongside current literature and research, the authors critically explore the significance of relationships in child development,…

Children develop within the context of caregiver--child relationships, each presenting with their own unique strengths, areas of growth, and compatibility of fit. Instead of the traditional viewpoint that child symptoms are generalizable across contexts and would emerge across relationships, the DC:0--5™: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health…

This article focuses on the fundamental role that early childhood educators (ECEs) play in the lives of infants and very young children and their families--underscoring the power of early interactions and relationships between infant--toddler and preschool educators and the children in their programs. The authors explore the ECEs' unique roles,…

The present study investigates parenting styles in Iranian mothers with avoidant attachment style. The sample of this study were 15 mothers of children aged 1-6 living in Hamedan city, Iran with avoidant attachment style. The sample was first screened using the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS). Mothers were interviewed using s semi-structured…

The role of early child care experiences on the development of the mother--child attachment relationship has been studied extensively. However, no prospective studies of early child care have addressed how these experiences might be reflected in the content of attachment representations during adolescence and beyond. The goal of this study was to…

The Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation, a 45-year study of children born into poverty, offers a number of lessons for practitioners. Among these are the potency of early relationship experiences for predicting developmental outcomes and the fate of early experience following developmental change. This article describes the…

Decades of research and clinical observations have demonstrated the harmful effects of parent-child separation on children's short- and long-term well-being (Society for Research in Child Development, 2018). Young children may be separated from their parents due to a variety of circumstances. This article provides recommendations for the…

Infants and young children are vulnerable to multiple types of trauma, including neglect and sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Some believe that young children are not impacted by trauma and that, if they are, they will simply "grow out of it." Continuing research, however, clearly demonstrates that trauma can alter young children's…

Neuroscientific advances and child development studies show 0-6 years represents a sensitive period for the development of emotional competence--the ability to identify, understand, express and regulate emotion, all foundational to self-regulation. Research suggests optimum teaching of emotional competence and self-regulation skills from birth is…

This paper presents the results of an assessment and preventive education experience involving 50 families with children aged 2. The families were assessed by means of an interview conducted during a home visit, and were subsequently provided with a series of everyday parenting guidelines. The results provide empirical evidence of the…

Understanding the process of attachment formation in young children has been a focal point in child development research for decades. However, young children's attachments are not only with human beings; they also form bonds with companion animals, particularly dogs ("Canis familiaris"). Given the number of dogs that are kept by families…

Many children, especially those from lower-income families, face considerable instability early in their lives. This may include changes in family structure, irregular family routines, frequent moves, fluctuating daycare arrangements, and noisy, crowded, or generally chaotic environments. Moreover, instability and chaos affect young children's…