Predicting attachment in Portuguese infants born very or extremely preterm: Understanding the roles of infant regulatory behavior, maternal sensitivity, and risk factors

Antunes, Sandra; Maria João Alves; Inês Martelo; Marjorie Beeghly; Luísa Barros; Fuertes, Marina

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/21833

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Abstract(s)

A growing body of research shows that early attachment relationships are foundational for children's later developmental and psychosocial outcomes. However, findings are mixed regarding whether preterm birth predicts later attachment, but insecurity is generally more prevalent among infants at higher medical and/or social/familial risk. This longitudinal study aimed to identify specific relational, familial/demographic, and perinatal predictors of attachment in a sample of 63 Portuguese infants born very or extremely preterm (VEPT, <32 gestational weeks) and their mothers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. One‐third of the mothers had social/family risk factors (e.g., single parent, immigrant, unemployed, low education, and/or low income). At 3 months (corrected age), dyads were observed during social interaction in the Face‐to‐Face Still‐Face paradigm (FFSF) and during free play. At 12 months, mother‐infant dyads were observed in Ainsworth's Strange Situation. Over half (58.7%) of the infants were classified as insecurely attached. Social‐Positive Oriented regulatory behavior pattern, higher maternal sensitivity, higher infant cooperation during free play, number of siblings and an absence of social/family risk factors were associated with attachment security. Perinatal variables were unrelated to attachment. Findings indicate that both relational and social contextual factors contribute to attachment in this biologically vulnerable sample.

Keywords

Family/social risk Mother-infant attachment Patterns of regulatory behavior Perinatal risk Very/extreme prematurity PTDC/MHC-PED/1424/2014

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/21833

Citation

Antunes, S., Alves, M. J.,Martelo, I., Beeghly, M., Barros, L., & Fuertes, M.(2024). Predicting attachment in Portuguese infantsborn very or extremely preterm: Understanding theroles of infant regulatory behavior, maternalsensitivity, and risk factors. Infant Mental HealthJournal, 45, 40–55.https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.22094