Maternal sensitivity throughout infancy: Continuity and relation to attachment security
Abstract
Relations among different measures of maternal sensitivity were assessed longitudinally by examining maternal behavior when infants were 4 months, 15 months, and 2.5 years. At each time period, two measures of maternal sensitivity were scored (4 months: maternal vocal and smiling contingency in face-to-face interactions; 15 months: maternal scaffolding and following of infants' play within joint attention; 2.5 years: maternal facilitative and collaborative play within joint attention). When infants were 2.5 years, attachment security was assessed. Mothers' scores on each maternal sensitivity measure within each time period were correlated with their maternal sensitivity scores in another time period, suggesting individual measures of maternal sensitivity were tapping similar aspects across the time periods. Maternal vocal contingency at 4 months was the strongest predictor of infants' attachment security over 2 years later.
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Perinatal mental health disorders can impair a mother's ability to bond with their infant, including acting negatively towards the child.
“For example, perinatal mental health disorders can impair a mother’s ability to bond with their infant, including acting negatively towards the child [38]”
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- Authors
- Bigelow, A. E., MacLean, K., Proctor, J., Myatt, T., Gillis, R., & Power, M.
- Affiliations
- St. Francis Xavier University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Bigelow, Ann E.
- ORCID
- Bigelow, Ann E.
- Venue
- Infant Behavior and Development
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-02
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 50-60
- ISSN
- 0163-6383 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2085968004
- Cited by
- 205
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 9.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Infant Behavior and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- maternal sensitivity, attachment security, infant development, scaffolding, joint attention, play, infancy, toddlerhood
- MeSH terms
- Psychology, Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Infant, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Maternal Behavior, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Object Attachment, Reference Values, Social Perception, Infant Behavior, Trust
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