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

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.

Attachment goes to court: child protection and custody issues

“…This advocacy is ill-advised because it is currently unknown whether, or in which ways, children benefit from more time with a parent with whom they are secure than with a parent with whom they are insecure. Moreover, considerably depriving a child of time with a parent is in itself a risk factor for insecurity and disorganisation in that relationship (Hazen et al, 2015;Umemura & Jacobvitz, 2014). Returning to the distinction between attachment quality and overall relationship quality, insecurity does not mean that a child does not benefit from the relationship with a parent.…”

The security-seeking impulse and the unification of attachment and culture.

“…It is also the case that early separation from mothers, mother outside-the-home employment, and extended-day childcare arrangements are most prevalent in individualist Western countries (Lancy, 2015). Many studies suggest that those arrangements are associated with higher rates among children of insecure-avoidant attachments (for reviews see Belsky & Rovine, 1988; Belsky, 2001; Brandtjen & Verny, 2001; Clarke-Stewart, 1989; Lamb, Sternberg, & Prodromidis, 1992), although contrary findings have also been reported (Harrison & Ungerer, 2002; NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997; cf., Allhusen et al, 2001; Hazen, Allen, Christopher, Umemura, & Jacobvitz, 2015).…”

Factors moderating the link between early childhood non-parental care and ADHD symptoms

“…Grandparental care, in combination with an overprotective parenting strategy, has been found to result in less responsiveness in children [ 40 , 41 ]. In addition, children who experienced extensive non-maternal childcare during infancy were found to be less likely to form secure emotional attachments later in life [ 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”