The links between unresolved maternal attachment status, disrupted maternal interaction in play situations, and disorganized attachment relationships were examined in a study of 82 adolescent mother-infant dyads. Maternal interactive behavior was measured using the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification coding…

Previous research on gender differences between males and females on the risk factors leading to disordered eating is sparse, especially on males and eating disorders using attachment theory. This study examined the relationship between adult attachment style and disordered eating in men and women. Secure attachment scores were significantly…

This article, a commentary, discusses questions and issues generated by 7 articles (see records EJ750759, EJ750761, EJ750764, EJ750765, EJ750767, EJ750768, and EJ750769) on the relationship between attachment theory and research, and psychotherapy and clinical assessment. The issues include the following: attachment-based therapeutic…

Objectives: This study evaluated substance use and HIV risk profile using a latent model analysis based on ecological theory, inclusive of a risk and protective factor framework, in sexually active minority adults (N=1,056) who participated in a federally funded substance abuse and HIV prevention health initiative from 2002 to 2006. Methods: Data…

A prenatal intervention designed to prevent the onset of major depressive episodes (MDEs) during pregnancy and postpartum was pilot tested at a public sector women's clinic. The "Mamas y Bebes"/Mothers and Babies Course is an intervention developed in Spanish and English that uses a cognitive-behavioral mood management framework, and incorporates…

Breaking the Cycle (BTC), founded in 1995, is an early identification, prevention, and treatment program for pregnant and parenting women who abuse substances. The authors explore the impact of substance abuse on early attachment relationships and on infant regulatory functioning. BTC focuses on building and enhancing the mother's relationships,…

This study examined the impact of various temporal patterns of maternal interactive behavior with their infant on the infant's quality of attachment. The sample consisted of 52 dyads from the Berlin Longitudinal Study of Early Adaptation. Quality of attachment was assessed at 21 months with the Strange Situation Procedure. Nine infants were…

This study investigated the relations between toddlers' degree of attachment to their mothers and their development of an attachment to a security blanket. Seventy-four 18-month-olds were separated from their mothers three times; the third time the toddlers were left for 5 minutes in an unfamiliar playroom with their blanket and with a stranger.…

Attachment theory offers a useful framework for the study of human behavior in relationships. It has been suggested that applying attachment theory to the study of supervision may increase understanding of both the trainee's and supervisor's experience of supervision. Reviews of empirical work done in the field of supervision point consistently to…

This practicum was designed to enhance the parenting skills of drug-addicted recovering women (N=8) and to give opportunities for successful family experiences in a half-way house setting. A curriculum was developed, weekly group meetings were held, guest speakers were presented, mothers were assisted with individual problems, and the program was…

A sample of college students (N=170) was used to replicate and extend recent investigations that had conceptualized adults' close relationships within an early attachment framework. Analyses were conducted to support the validity of Hazan and Shaver's (1987) attachment measures, which were designed to assess the three major styles of attachment:…

A new measure of temperament, Rothbart's Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), was used to compare children with attachments to objects and those without such attachments. Comparisons were used to determine whether temperament differences between children with and without a history of object attachment held for children with and without a…

The present study compared the presence of sibling versus non-sibling partners in relation to the exploratory behaviors of toddlers in a novel environment. It was predicted that young children would use siblings as a secure base from which to explore the environment even in the absence of an adult attachment figure, whereas the presence of a…

Discussed in this ERIC Digest are the quality of infant day care and aspects of the debate on infant attachment. Characteristics of current infant day care provisions are reported. Program quality is discussed in terms of: (1) structural features, such as group size, staff-child ratios, caregiver training, equipment, space; (2) dynamic aspects,…