The extent and function of the parent-child bond, conceptualized according to Ainsworth's model of attachment, was explored for 173 first-year college students. Students' description of their parental relationships resembled Ainsworth's secure attachment type. Most students viewed their parents as a secure, encouraging, and available source of…

Examines the relationships among different dimensions of empathy, communication, and prosocial behavior. Supports an altruistic interpretation of prosocial behavior and suggests that the egoistic model be reformulated. (JK)

Examined extent to which infant-mother attachment could be predicted by mother interactional variables and infant proneness to distress. Meta-analysis indicated that sensitive, responsive maternal interaction predicted the security of attachment in Ainsworth and Wittig's "strange situation." Proneness to distress, a temperamental variable,…

Considers Blos' conceptualization of adolescence as the stage when a second process of separation-individuation takes place. Notes various handicapping conditions may force adolescent to stay closer to family and hence interfere with adolescent's separation-individuation. Suggests that nature of interference will vary depending on whether the…

A study identified the antecedent characteristics of child and family best predicting behavioral/emotional problems at three years of age. Considered were the relationship of the index of attachment security to several mother-child relationship measures and to other child characteristics, such as difficult temperament and sociability. (Author/NH)

Distress in response to brief maternal separations was examined in a sample of 93 predominantly home-reared infants using the Ainsworth strange situation paradigm. At 18 months, the age when separation protests begin to decline, securely attached infants are better able than anxiously attached infants to tolerate maternal separations. (Author/RH)

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)

In a study of self-reports from 111 adults enrolled in education classes at seven adult education centers, peer relations, positive and negative affect, and curiosity and perception of learning improvement each uniquely predicted secure attachment among the participants. After controlling for age, sex, and income, the hierarchical logistical…

The developmental origins and the longitudinal consequences of the infant-father attachment bond have been studied a number of times, but for the child-father attachment relationship, different developmental factors seem to play a role. It has been suggested that the importance of the child-father relationship may lie in the domain of coping with…

This paper reviews the current research on the nature of relationships from an attachment theory perspective. It begins with a review of attachment theory and states that an understanding of adult attachment is crucial for an understanding of the effects of attachment styles on relationships. It addresses the effect that each attachment style has…

Noting that childrens relationships with caregivers and teachers are emotionally significant and affect how children develop and what they learn, this book provides ways for early childhood teachers to create positive child-teacher relationships and classroom climates. Based on three narrative studies involving extensive observations in urban…

In recent years many researchers, clinicians, and testing companies have shifted from paper-and-pencil to computer administrated tests of psychological measures. This paper explores the feasibility of using the Internet to collect data from the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the Negative Mood Rating Scale (NMRS), and the Trait…

Critically reviews the concept of "bonding," exploring its empirical basis and the implications that follow from its application in practice. Among the conclusions reached are that there is a tendency to oversimplify attachment phenomena and that the notion of a sensitive period for attachment has no direct empirical support. (RH)

Observed father's behaviors toward newborns. Found fathers who had been present during delivery exhibited more distal attachment-type behaviors. Proximal father behavior (touching) did not differ according to father presence at delivery. Attendance at prenatal classes was not related to either father behaviors observed. (Author)