In a socially diverse sample of 206 infant-mother pairs, we investigated predictors of infants' attachment security at 15 months, with a particular emphasis on mothers' tendency to comment appropriately or in a non-attuned manner on their 8-month-olds' internal states (so-called mind-mindedness). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed…

A number of studies have suggested breastfed infants have improved bonding and attachment or cognitive development outcomes. However, mechanisms by which these differences might develop are poorly understood. We used maternal time use data to examine whether exclusively breastfeeding mothers spend more time in close interactive behaviors with…

Explores the benefits of touch and affection to infant development, noting that in addition to psychological benefits, touch is an important stimulus to the central nervous system. (HTH)

Presents some practical suggestions on how teachers, students, and child-care workers can help infants cope with changes that may occur with adoption and foster care at various early ages. (Author/CS)

This study examined issues related to both support and stress in the social networks of mothers of adolescent parents. Specifically, it examined who provides support or causes stress for grandmothers, as well as what types of support and stress, and investigated how the characteristics of the grandmothers' social networks affect their…

Describes ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized attachment patterns. Proposes that avoidant individuals deactivate their attachment needs, have high sense of self efficacy, and prefer objects to people; ambivalent persons hyperactivate attachment needs, have low self-efficacy, and orient more to people; and disorganized/controlling individuals…

Discusses the concept of "Velcro time": a period in infants' lives when they show an increased interest in books and in their primary caregiver, and particularly, in his or her use of speech. (BB)

Considers evidence for continuity and discontinuity of attachment in four major longitudinal studies. Discusses the difficulty of constructing a critical test of the prototype and stable environment hypotheses for attachment continuity. Notes that intergenerational transmission of attachment has been only indirectly addressed. (KDFB)

Reviews and critiques the approaches of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases to attachment disorders and finds that they have not made use of findings from developmental research on attachment in developing their criteria. Presents an alternative system of classifying attachment…

This paper presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of Piagetian and psychoanalytic theories of infancy to establish the developmental relationships between cognition and affect. Theoretical points of similarity and dissimilarity are cited. Relevant reasearch studies (Bell, Gouin-Decarie, Fraiberg) are reviewed in an attempt to resolve…

A summary of findings on consequences of maltreatment in early childhood and a discussion of major developmental issues during infancy and toddlerhood are presented. Salient features of sensitive and insensitive parenting during those periods and implications of this information for school psychologists are discussed. (JAZ)

Investigated maternal conditions and perceptions after the birth of a very low birthweight (VLBW) infant. Compared to mothers of term infants, mothers of VLBW infants had higher incidence of psychological distress during the neonatal period but did not differ from term-birth mothers in feelings of role restriction, parenting competence, or social…

Intended for adoptive parents and adoption practitioners and intermediaries, this book uses the metaphor of space exploration to provide practical strategies for meeting the adopted infant's needs and smoothing the transition. Chapter 1, "Mission: To Explore New Worlds," discusses adoptive and birth parent preparation, loss issues, and society's…

This paper summarizes the theoretical frame of reference, structure and function of an experimental program called the Parenting Process Project which has been part of the Child and Family Guidance Unit of the Department of Psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since 1967. The Project combines psychoanalytic and anthropological…