Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

This study investigated whether infant child care experience, alone or in combination with mother/child factors, is associated with attachment security. Participants were forty 12-to 18-month-old infants and their mothers. Infants were observed in the Strange Situation to assess the pattern of infan...

This study investigated whether infant child care experience, alone or in combination with mother/child factors, is associated with attachment security. Participants were forty 12-to 18-month-old infants and their mothers. Infants were observed in the Strange Situation to assess the pattern of infant-mother attachment; the Observational Ratings of the Caregiving Environment was used to assess the caregiving environment. Mothers were interviewed with the questionnaires and observed in the laboratory "living room". There were significant main effects of maternal sensitivity and responsiveness and of stability of care on attachment security and on insecure/avoidance. Significant interaction effects revealed that infants were more likely to be secure when high maternal sensitivity/responsiveness was combined with good quality child care, non-maternal care initiated prior to six months of age, or care by close relatives.