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Maternal Expressed Emotion Related to Attachment Disorganization in Early Childhood: A Preliminary Report
Author(s) -
Jacobsen Teresa,
Hibbs Euthymia,
Ziegenhain Ute
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/1469-7610.00677
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , early childhood
Using a longitudinal sample of children, this study examined the relation between maternal Expressed Emotion (EE) and mother‐child attachment disorganization at age 6 years. A nonclinical sample of 33 children (at ages 12 months and 18 months) from Berlin, Germany participated with their mothers in Ainsworth's Strange Situation. Thirty‐two children were again observed with their mothers at age 6 years in a standard laboratory attachment observation. At the time of the 6‐year assessment, maternal EE was assessed based on a Five‐Minute Speech Sample. Mothers also completed the Life Events Questionnaire, a measure of family stress, and the Present State Examination, a measure of maternal depression. Maternal Expressed Emotion was significantly linked to mother‐child attachment security at age 6 years. Further analyses revealed that High EE was most closely linked to the disorganized attachment pattern at age 6 years, an at‐risk attachment pattern that has been associated with intrusive and hostile maternal behavior. The relationship was upheld when other relevant variables, including infant attachment disorganization and a measure of perceived family stress, were simultaneously considered. The study provides independent validation of Expressed Emotion as a measure of relationship quality in early childhood. It also provides a basis for the further investigation of the nature of the relation between maternal Expressed Emotion and attachment disorganization.