Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding children's relationships to their primary and secondary caregivers. The theory describes how secure attachment bonds are formed between children and caregivers and the consequences of both secure and insecure attachment relationships. Recommendations for putting attachment theory into…

Notes that young children need to express joys and sadness; discusses candle ceremony designed for discussions of grief. Suggests teachers inform parents of the ceremony and solicit their help in preparing children, resolve not to try to solve all problems that may be discussed, inform children the moments are private, and plan for difficult…

This study examined relations among mothers' discourse about experiences in their families of origin and with child protective services (CPS), attachment-related and current risk factors, and the quality of mothers' parenting behavior with their young children during supervised visits. Twenty-nine 2- to 6-year-old children in foster care and their…

Attachment, separation, and loss are critical life events for many young children. This article discusses prevalent factors of separation and loss and their potential harmful effects on development. Also, books and resources geared for children are suggested to help early childhood professionals facilitate resolution with affected children and…

This E.D. TAB is the first report produced using data from the second round of data collection for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a study of a nationally representative sample of children born in the year 2001. The report provides descriptive information about these children when they were about 2 years old. It…

Consistency in characteristics of maternal behavior with different siblings was investigated among 65 economically disadvantaged families, each having two children. Quality of infant/mother attachment was assessed when firstborn children were 12 and 18 months old, respectively, and when secondborn children were 12 months old. When children were 24…

Discusses individual differences in attachment relationships as they relate to individual differences in mental representation, that is, in the individual's "internal working models" of attachment. Compares individual differences in security of attachment to each parent as assessed in the Ainsworth Strange Situation in infancy to diverse…

Presents two bodies of research relevant to the question of intergenerational continuity of attachment quality: studies documenting the effects of separation or disruption in the family of origin, and studies in which parents reported on their childhood attachments. Interprets this research within a theoretical perspective derived from the works…

In a study of attachment behavior 10-month-old infants were observed under three conditions: with the mother, with an adult female stranger, and when both were present. Infants directed more social responses to the mother, but the stranger evoked more exploration behavior than distress. (ST)

Examined associations between attachment quality and children's friendships at 4 and 5 years of age as a follow-up of the sample used in an earlier study by Park and Waters (1989) of secure-secure and secure-insecure friend pairs. Found that the pattern of relations between friendship and attachment changed over time, but attachment pairing…

Two- and three-year-old children differed in their recognition of their own and their mother's features. One year olds, and securely and insecurely attached infants, did not differ. At all ages, securely attached infants exhibited greater complexity than did insecurely attached infants in tasks relating to themselves and their mothers. (BC)

This study examined attachment in institutionalized and community children 12-31 months of age in Bucharest, Romania. Attachment was assessed using ratings of attachment behaviors and ratings of caregiver descriptions in a structured interview. As predicted, children raised in institutions exhibited serious disturbances of attachment as assessed…

Children's attachment patterns at early preschool age and 2 years later as well as factors related to stability-instability were examined in a diverse socioeconomic status French Canadian sample of 120 children. Attachment was assessed during 2 laboratory visits using separation-reunion procedures when the children were approximately 3.5 (J.…

One of the most consistently recurring themes in great literature is the love triangle--Arthur and Guinevere and Lancelot, Tristan and Isolde and King Mark, and countless others. No one has produced an immortal story about it; but a love triangle plays itself out day after day in the lives of parents, young children, and caregivers. In this…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends 2014, taking place in Porto, Portugal, from 4 to 6 of April. Psychology, in our time, offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral…