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The literature suggests that insecure maternal attachment is a risk factor for postpartum depression which, in turn, affects mother–infant bonding. However, recent research on attachment has suggested that investigations of attachment networks provide further insight into the understanding of psychological outcomes. This study aimed to test a model, according to which, mothers’ attachments towards each of their parents contribute to explaining their attachment towards their romantic partners, which itself is associated with maternal postpartum depression and, in turn, mother–infant bonding. The Attachment Multiple Model Interview, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire were administered to 90 mothers of infants under 6 months of age (32 with postpartum major depression). The results showed that the attachment towards the partner (1) was best explained by the attachment towards the father and (2) mediated the link between the attachment to the father and the depression severity. Additionally, the depression severity mediated the link between the attachment to the partner and mother–infant bonding. These results highlight the role of attachment models towards the romantic partner and father in the perinatal period and the relevance of attachment-focused therapeutic programs for treating postpartum maternal depression.

The Intention Attribution Test for Children (IAC) was created to assess hostile attribution bias in preschool- and early school-aged children. It comprises 16 cartoon strips presenting situations in which one character (either a child or an adult) causes harm to another, either intentionally, accidentally (nonintentional), or without his or her intention being clear (ambiguous). Its validity was tested on 233 children aged 4 to 12 years. Exploratory factor analysis and item response theory models demonstrated support for a single factor of hostile attribution bias for the ambiguous and nonintentional items. Analyses revealed, however, that the intentional items did not contribute to this same overall construct of hostile intention attribution bias. Correlations with the Social Perception Test and with sociometry suggest good validity of the IAC. The IAC may be a useful instrument for research and in the context of therapeutic intervention addressing socially inappropriate behavior in childhood.

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