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Very extensive nonmaternal care predicts mother–infant attachment disorganization: Convergent evidence from two samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2014

Nancy L. Hazen ,
Sydnye D. Allen ,
Caroline Heaton Christopher ,
Tomotaka Umemura  and
Deborah B. Jacobvitz
Nancy L. Hazen*
Affiliation:
University of Texas at Austin
Sydnye D. Allen
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
Caroline Heaton Christopher
Affiliation:
Arizona State University
Tomotaka Umemura
Affiliation:
Masaryk University
Deborah B. Jacobvitz
Affiliation:
University of Texas at Austin
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Nancy L. Hazen, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 108 Dean Keaton Street, Stop A2702, Austin, TX 78712; E-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

We examined whether a maximum threshold of time spent in nonmaternal care exists, beyond which infants have an increased risk of forming a disorganized infant–mother attachment. The hours per week infants spent in nonmaternal care at 7–8 months were examined as a continuous measure and as a dichotomous threshold (over 40, 50 and 60 hr/week) to predict infant disorganization at 12–15 months. Two different samples (Austin and NICHD) were used to replicate findings and control for critical covariates: mothers' unresolved status and frightening behavior (assessed in the Austin sample, N = 125), quality of nonmaternal caregiving (assessed in the NICHD sample, N = 1,135), and family income and infant temperament (assessed in both samples). Only very extensive hours of nonmaternal care (over 60 hr/week) and mothers' frightening behavior independently predicted attachment disorganization. A polynomial logistic regression performed on the larger NICHD sample indicated that the risk of disorganized attachment exponentially increased after exceeding 60 hr/week. In addition, very extensive hours of nonmaternal care only predicted attachment disorganization after age 6 months (not prior). Findings suggest that during a sensitive period of attachment formation, infants who spend more than 60 hr/week in nonmaternal care may be at an increased risk of forming a disorganized attachment.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , August 2015 , pp. 649 - 661
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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