The mother-infant relationship and infant attachment in a south African peri-urban settlement

Tomlinson, M., Cooper, P. and Murray, L. (2005) The mother-infant relationship and infant attachment in a south African peri-urban settlement. Child Development, 76 (5). pp. 1044-1054. ISSN 0009-3920 doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00896.x

Abstract/Summary

A sample of 147 mother-infant dyads was recruited from a peri-urban settlement outside Cape Town and seen at 2- and 18-months postpartum. At 18 months, 61.9% of the infants were rated as securely attached (B); 4.1% as avoidant (A); 8.2% as resistant (C); and 25.8% disorganized (D). Postpartum depression at 2 months, and indices of poor parenting at both 2 and 18 months, were associated with insecure infant attachment. The critical 2-month predictor variables for insecure infant attachment were maternal intrusiveness and maternal remoteness, and early maternal depression. When concurrent maternal sensitivity was considered, the quality of the early mother-infant relationship remained important, but maternal depression was no longer predictive. Cross-cultural differences and consistencies in the development of attachment are discussed.