Maternal separation anxiety influences maternal behavior, attitudes about employment, and employment decisions made by mothers. This study examined the relationship between maternal separation anxiety and the number of hours a child was in substitute care. The sample consisted of 44 mothers and their children who ranged in age from 12 to 41 months…

The importance of family to identity is an accepted tenet of identity theories, though there is some dispute about the nature of this parental relationship and its facilitation of identity formation. This study investigated the relationship between the two developmental constructs of identity and attachment. Using the Identity Status Paradigm,…

This paper synthesizes a variety of perspectives, with an emphasis on attachment theory, on the agency/communion polarity as first defined by David Bakan (1966). The question researchers sought to answer was whether or not agency/communion is best approached as a polarity--opposite and opposing forces, forces in the personality which have often…

The importance of cognitions and attachment in family therapy has long been recognized but attachment to parental figures apparently does not affect the way that family events are cognitively processed. Given the large body of literature suggesting the importance of attachment and cognition, McCarthy speculated that the lack of significance for…

Past research has supported the idea that involvement in extracurricular activities has a positive impact on students' evaluation of their college lives. This study investigated whether involvement, as measured by time commitment to campus activities, had a differential impact on the students' adjustment to various aspects of college life,…

Examining over 20 years of research findings, including the most recent research on child care and child development, this book attempts to answer the three most important questions parents have about day care: Is day care harmful? Are babies damaged by the fact that their mothers work? and, Are working parents, by being absent during most of the…

As part of a longitudinal study of postpartum adjustment and infant development, this study examined whether securely attached 12-month-old infants show greater object mastery motivation and social-object mastery motivation than do insecurely attached infants. Object mastery relates to infants' goal-directed behavior that is oriented toward…

Research on the effectiveness of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) in enhancing the mother-newborn relationship has had inconsistent results. A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an NBAS intervention with a high-risk mother group. The study focused on low-income, drug-using mothers, measuring the effectiveness of the…

The increase in the number of infants and toddlers experiencing nonparental care creates an urgent need for the insights of theorists, clinicians, and researchers. These insights can help caretakers promote the mental health of infants and toddlers. Although caregivers usually provide sufficient support of babies' cognitive development, they may…

A study examined how maternal separation anxiety contributes to the mother's departure actions and how those behaviors affect the child during separation. Subjects were 40 mothers and their toddlers, age 15 to 24 months, who were observed before and during separation. After completing the Maternal Separation Anxiety Questionnaire, mothers were…

Using an interdisciplinary perspective that combines research in psychology, sociology, and anthropology, this book examines the composition and role of the family with respect to young children, adolescents, and adult children of elderly parents. Following a preface discussing the major themes of the book--parent-child attachment, transitions and…

This book offers parents an understanding of the nature and role of adolescent friendship. Chapter 1 presents an introduction to the topic of friendship and examines the benefits and characteristics of friendship, types of love, attachment styles, and contextual features that affect friendship. Chapter 2 discusses friendship stages across the…

Reporting recent information from research and service programs, this report presents issues concerning young children and their families. The report includes six sections; contents focus on the growth and developmental needs of children under 3 years of age. Section 1 discusses the importance of attachment between a baby and one or two…

Research on the development of social competence in children is reviewed in this ERIC digest. The focus is on the social development of infants and toddlers which takes place in the family, in peer groups, and in preschool. The importance of infant bonding with at least one particular adult, socialization of the developming child within the family…

The paper examined the impact of maternal personality and maternal social support variables on the security of mother-infant attachment. The influence of maternal intelligence, affect balance, and life stress were also examined. Measures used included Loevinger's Ego Development Scale, Crnic's Satisfaction with Social Support, the Peabody Picture…