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Attachment in infancy and preschool in low socioeconomic status rural Appalachian children: Stability and change and relations to preschool and kindergarten competence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2004

MARGARET FISH
MARGARET FISH
Affiliation:
Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health, Marshall University School of Medicine
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Abstract

Attachment classifications were obtained from the Strange Situation at 15 months and at 4 years for a sample of 82 low socioeconomic status rural Appalachian children. The rate of secure attachment in infancy was 50.5%, and the majority of insecure infants were disorganized. At 4 years of age 61.2% of children were secure; early secure relationships were likely to be maintained, and about half of the insecure infants changed to a secure classification by 4 years. Overall, there was low but significant stability in attachment at the level of secure/insecure. Comparisons of (a) children who changed from insecure to secure with those who were stable insecure and (b) stable secure children with those who changed from secure to insecure identified contextual, child, and maternal interaction factors associated with attaining secure attachment. Assessments of cognitive and socioemotional competence at 4 years and kindergarten age suggested a protective effect of secure infant attachment but little benefit from secure preschool attachment.This study was supported by Grants MCJ-540615 and R40 MC 00091 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and by Grant MH48395 from the National Institute of Mental Health, Department of Health and Human Services. Thanks to the families who participated and the Lincoln Primary Care Center Board of Directors and staff.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , June 2004 , pp. 293 - 312
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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