Maternal Care and Attachment Security in Preschool Children / Cuidado Materno e Apego em Crianças Pré-escolares / Cuidado Materno y Seguridad del Apego del Niño Preescolar

Abstract This study assessed and compared the relationship between maternal sensitivity and child attachment in two groups of mother-child dyads from Lima, Peru, one group with children 4 years old and older and a second group with younger children. Fifty-six dyads participated in the study. The mothers ages ranged between 22 and 45 years (M = 33.14, SD = 5.50); 82.1% of them had higher education and 73.2% were in a partner relationship. Of the children, 53.6 were boys and 41.1% were an only child. The study used AQS and MBPQS to rate child and maternal behavior respectively. Our results show a high correlation between attachment security and maternal sensitivity in both groups, as well as specific manifestations of these variables in the context studied.

Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a relação entre a qualidade da vinculação que as crianças estabelecem com a figura materna e a sensibilidade destas com filhos/as menores e maiores de 4 anos na cidade de Lima, Peru. Participaram 56 díades mãe-criança. A média de idades das mães é de 33,14 (DP = 5,50), 82,1% tinham ensino superior, 73,2 % estavam numa relação estável. 53,6% das crianças eram do sexo masculino e 41.1% filhos únicos. O AQS e o MBPQS foram utilizados para caracterizar os comportamentos de base segura das crianças e a sensibilidade materna. Constatou-se que a qualidade de vinculação está positiva e significativamente correlacionada com a sensibilidade materna. Estes resultados sugerem manifestações particulares do contexto peruano.

Resumen Se evaluó la relación entre la sensibilidad materna y la seguridad del apego del niño/a en diadas madre-niño/a de Lima, Perú; esta relación se comparó entre díadas con hijos mayores y con hijos menores de 4 años. Participaron 56 díadas; las madres tenían entre 22 y 45 años (M = 33.14, DE = 5.50), 82.1% reportó estudios superiores y 73.2% una relación de pareja; 53.6% fueron niños y 41.1% eran hijos únicos. Se utilizaron el AQS y el MBPQS para la calificación de la conducta del niño y de la madre respectivamente. Se halló una alta correlación entre ambas variables en ambos grupos. Se describen manifestaciones particulares de la seguridad del apego y la sensibilidad en el contexto estudiado.

Inner and Outer Resources of Coping in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients: Attachment Security and Social Support

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of attachment security, social support and health-related burden in the prediction of psychological distress and the mediation effects of social support and health-related burden in relationship between attachment security and psychological distress. METHODS: Finally, 161 patients were included for the analysis. Chi-square test and independent samples t-test were used for comparing differences between depressive/anxious group and non-depressive/non-anxious group. For evaluating the relationship among attachment security, social support, psychological distress and health-related burden, structural equation modeling analysis were performed. RESULTS: 40.7% and 32.0% of the patients have significant depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms, respectively. In the analysis for testing the differences between groups who have psychological distress and who have not, there were no significant differences of sociodemographic factors and medical characteristics between groups, except for association between depressive symptoms and type of surgery (p = 0.01). Contrary to sociodemographic and medical characteristics, there were significant differences of health-related burden and two coping resources (attachment security and social support) between groups (all p < 0.01), except for the support from medical team in between anxious group and non-anxious group (p = 0.20). In the structural equation model analysis (Model fit : chi-square/df ratio = 0.8, root mean square error of approximation = 0.000, comparative fit index = 1.000, non-normed fit index =0.991), attachment security and social support emerged as an important predictor of psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment security and social support are important factors affecting the psychological distress. We suggest that individual attachment style and the social support state must be considered to approach the newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with psychological distress.

Predição do apego de crianças em função do estilo educativo materno e do tipo de família / Prediction of children's attachment regarding maternal rearing style and family type

Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar fatores preditores da segurança do apego das crianças. O estudo foi conduzido numa amostra comunitária de mães de 288 crianças em idade escolar, distribuídas por três grupos de acordo com a tipologia familiar (famílias nucleares, monoparentais e reconstituídas). As mães avaliaram o seu estilo educativo (EMBU-P) e os comportamentos de apego dos filhos (PCV-M). Os resultados evidenciaram uma correlação positiva entre as perceções maternas dos comportamentos de apego dos filhos e de suporte emocional e uma correlação negativa entre esta mesma variável e a rejeição materna. O modelo preditor da segurança do apego identificou como preditores a rejeição e o suporte emocional maternos, não se verificando o poder preditivo do tipo de família.

This study aims to identify predictive factors of children's secure attachment. The study was conducted in a community-based sample of 288 mothers of school-aged children distributed in three groups accordingly to their family type (nuclear, single-parent and reconstituted family). The mothers assessed their own rearing style (EMBU-P) as well as their children's attachment behaviors (PCV-M). The results showed a positive correlation between mothers' perception of emotional support and the quality of their children's attachment behaviors, and a negative correlation between the latter variable and maternal rejection. The predictive model of attachment security identified maternal rejection and emotional support as predictors, whilst family type showed no predictive power.

A segurança dos modelos internos e o conhecimento emocional nas crianças de idade pré-escolar / Internal models and emotional knowledge in preschool children

O objectivo deste estudo foi verificar se a segurança das representações mentais da relação de vinculação das crianças se correlaciona com um maior conhecimento das emoções, na idade do pré-escolar. Participaram 176 crianças do distrito de Lisboa, com idades entre os 3 e 5 anos. Utilizou-se a escala contínua de segurança do Attachment Story Completion Task e a adaptação portuguesa do Affect Knowledge Test. Os resultados sugerem que as crianças com modelos internos seguros apresentam um maior conhecimento das emoções, não havendo influência da capacidade verbal. Este estudo sugere que crianças com modelos internos seguros experienciam relações mais calorosas com os seus cuidadores, nas quais é possível partilharem e discutirem experiências emocionais de forma aberta e suportada permitindo que estas apresentem um maior conhecimento emocional...

The present study aims to clarify the relation between attachment representations and emotional knowledge in preschool children. One hundred seventy-six Portuguese children between 3 and 5 years old participated in the study. Quality of attachment representations was assessed using the Attachment Story Completion Task, and emotional knowledge was assessed by the Portuguese version of the Affect Knowledge Test. Our results suggest that children with secure internal working models show more emotional knowledge. No differences were found regarding verbal ability. These findings suggest that children with secure internal working models experience warmer relationships with their caregivers, sharing and discussing emotional experiences in an open and supportive way, allowing them to experience greater emotional knowledge...

Relationship of Peer Relationships, Perceived Parental Rearing Attitudes, Self-reported Attachment Security, to Loneliness in Upper Elementary School-age Children

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of peer relationships, self-reported attachment security, perceived parental rearing attitudes, and loneliness in upper elementary school-age children. METHODS: The data were collected from 207 students in grades 5 or 6, and descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients and Stepwise multiple regression were used with the SPSS/PC 12.0 program to analyze the data. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in loneliness between the upper 25% and lower 25% groups of peer relationships, perceived parental rearing attitudes, and self-reported attachment security. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed affection-hostility in parental rearing attitudes, validation and conflict in peer relationships, and attachment security explained 39.6% of the total variance in loneliness. CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to a better understanding of loneliness in upper elementary school-age children. The results of the present study indicate a need to develop nursing interventions to prevent and manage children's loneliness