Twenty infants were observed at home interacting with their mothers, fathers, and an unfamiliar investigator when they were 15, 18, 21, and 24 months of age. (Author/JMB)

Described is the development of a method for identifying and classifying differing attachment organizations at six years of age. The system is based on an analysis of children's responses to reunion with parents following a one-hour separation. Sixth year attachment classifications to mother were found to be highly predictable from infancy…

Analyzed attachment relationships of 22 maltreated and 21 nonmaltreated infants of 12 months. Findings indicated a preponderance of disorganized/disoriented (Type D) attachments in the maltreatment group, with boys more likely than girls to be Type D. (RJC)

Examined changes over three annual assessments of perceptions of gay and lesbian couples on current levels of attachment, autonomy, and equality in the relationship; the importance of these factors in an ideal relationship; and relationship commitment. Changes in relationship commitment over time were explained by changes in the discrepancy…

Examined the validity of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) measure by interviewing 83 mothers twice over 2 months, using different interviewers on each occasion. The results indicated that the reliability of the AAI classifications was quite high over time and across interviewers. The AAI classifications were independent of nonattachment…

Two studies addressed the implications of concordance versus discrepancy of attachment representations in individuals at 2 stages in their marital relationships. Engaged (n = 157) and dating (n = 101) couples participated in a multimethod 6-year longitudinal study of adult attachment. Individuals completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), the…

Previously published data on infants aged 12 and 13 months who were observed in the Strange Situation with their mothers and fathers were reanalyzed using a component process approach. (PCB)

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)

Possible relations between mothers' recollection of the degree to which they were accepted by their parents, sense of self, and perceptions of their children to mother-child interaction were studied. There was an 84 percent concordant classification between recall of parental acceptance and observationally assessed dyadic harmony classification.…

Mothers and fathers of 62 children were seen separately in the Strange Situation procedure, and their caregiving behaviors were separately assessed using several measures. Results revealed only one effect, that mothers of securely attached children were more responsive to their children than other mothers. (BC)

Prospective longitudinal study examined continuity in infants' experience to attachment representations at 18 years. Found that adults with dismissing representations had received less sensitive maternal care than adults with secure or preoccupied representations. Adverse life events through age 12, especially parental divorce, reduced likelihood…

Examined three components of the attachment-transmission model in 48 kibbutz dyads from communal and home-based sleeping arrangements. Found that security of infants' attachment relations and autonomy of mothers' attachment representations were associated with higher emotional availability scores. Poorer emotional availability was found in dyads…