Investigates infant preferences for interaction with mother v father, similarities and differences in maternal and paternal behavior, and the influence of a second parent's presence on parent-infant interaction. Families with infants 15 months of age were observed in their own homes. (Author/SS)

Examined the stability of infant-parent attachment security in samples of 90 infant-mother and 120 infant-father dyads who completed the Ainsworth and Wittig Strange Situation procedure at 6- to 7-month intervals. Significant stability was not discerned in attachment security, with rates of stability ranging from 46% to 55%. (MDM)

Aimed (1) to determine whether a time sampling, frequency-count procedure for assessing mother-infant interaction could capture a set of theoretically important dimensions, and (2) to chronicle both ability and change within the mother-infant relationship. A total of 74 dyads were observed when infants were 1, 3, and 9 months of age. (Author/RH)

Examined the antecedents of infant-father attachment among 136 father-son dyads using the Ainsworth and Wittig Strange Situation procedure and questionnaires. Found that fathers of secure infants were more extroverted and agreeable than fathers of insecure infants, tended to have more positive marriages, and experienced more positive emotional…

Examined characteristics of fathers, infants, and marital relationships as antecedents of secure and insecure infant-father attachments in dual- and single-earner families. Change in perceived infant temperament, fathers' recollections of child rearing, and the division of labor distinguished families with secure or insecure infant-father…

This research review examines the link between etiology of child maltreatment and developmental outcomes. The review points to a strong association between child maltreatment and attachment insecurity in infant-parent relations, as well as child maltreatment and dysfunctional child-peer relations during toddlerhood. (Author/JDD)

Observed parents' coparenting of 15-month-old sons to test 2 hypotheses: (1) greater differences in parents' demographic factors, personality, styles of relatedness, and child-rearing attitudes would forecast more unsupportive coparenting; and (2) the adverse effects of spousal differences would be amplified by family stress. Results supported…

Examined the links between children's relationships with their parents at one and three years and their relationships with a friend at five years. Positive and secure parent-child relationships were associated with children's positive friendships and negative family relationships with negative friendships. Several counterintuitive findings…

Studies family interaction and explores the interface of husband-wife and parent-infant interactions. Results suggest that wives have a greater influence on fathering than do husbands on mothering. In some families spousal interaction precludes active involvement in parenting. In others active parental involvement provides for pleasurable spousal…

Maintains that it is important to distinguish theory testing from effect-size evaluation when considering the impact of mothering on attachment security. Contends that it is possible that the De Wolff and van IJzendoorn meta-analysis both over- and underestimates mothering effects, as would be the case if infants varied in their susceptibility to…

Examined mothers' representations of their relationship with toddler sons over a 13-month period. Found that the three factors characterizing mothers' representations for 15-month olds also fit data for 28-month olds. Found significant increases in anger but no changes in joy, pleasure, coherence, guilt, and separation distress. Changes in…

Assessments of parent and sibling attachments were made when the firstborn child of a two-child family was one, three, and six years old. Sibling conflict and aggression were related to maternal conflict with both children at six years. Affectionate fathering was associated with prosocial sibling interaction. (BC)

Investigates patterns of father involvement and the influence of acculturation in a sample of Indian immigrant families. Results, based on naturalistic observations of 40 families, revealed three types of fathers: engaged, caretaker, and disengaged. Disengaged belonged to the least acculturated families, whereas the most acculturated were the most…

More than 200 New Zealand men and women studied repeatedly since age 3 were videotaped interacting with their own 3-year-old children to determine (a) whether childrearing and family climate experienced in 3 distinct developmental periods while growing up (i.e., early childhood, middle childhood, early adolescence) predicted parenting and (b)…