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Emotional Determinants of Infant‐Mother Attachment
Author(s) -
Izard Carroll E.,
Haynes O. Maurice,
Chisholm Gail,
Baak Katherine
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1991.tb01579.x
Subject(s) - psychology , attachment measures , strange situation , temperament , developmental psychology , personality , infant development , discriminant function analysis , attachment theory , social psychology , machine learning , computer science
The present study examined the assumption that emotion‐related characteristics of mothers and infants contribute to the development of infant‐mother attachment in the first year of life. Mothers' emotion and personality characteristics were assessed with expressive‐behavior ratings and self‐report scales. Infant characteristics were measured by emotion and temperament questionnaires (mother report) and objective coding of facial expressions of emotions. Attachment classifications were determined by means of the Strange Situation procedure, and a continuous‐variable index of attachment security was derived by a discriminant function procedure. Mothers' emotion experiences, expressive behaviors, and personality traits were significant predictors of the level of security of the infant‐mother attachment. Infants expressive and temperamental characteristics as rated by their mothers were also significant predictors of attachment security.