Q-sort assessment of attachment security during the preschool years: links from home to school.

This study investigated relations among preschoolers' secure-base behavior with mother at home, stressful family conditions, and qualities of developing relationships with peers and teachers in preschool. Preschool-age children (N = 94; 51 boys and 43 girls) and their mothers were observed during multiple home visits, and their security of attachment was assessed with the Attachment Q-Set. Children in families with lower levels of stress had more secure attachment relationships with mothers. Both boys and girls who were less securely attached to their mothers expressed significantly more anger-aggression in preschool. For boys, higher levels of family stress were also significantly related to anger-aggression and to social competence in preschool. In addition, boys who were more securely attached to their mothers were more securely attached to their preschool teachers and were more popular with peers in preschool.

Dialogues with preadolescents and adolescents: mother-child interaction patterns in affectively ill and well dyads.

This study examined affective/communicative patterns in the interactions of unipolar, bipolar, and well mothers with their preadolescent and adolescent children. As part of a large longitudinal project, mother-child interaction was assessed for two siblings ages 8 to 11 and 12 to 16. Interactional difficulties were linked to both maternal affective illness and child problem status. Preadolescent children appeared more comfortable/happy with well mothers than with affectively ill mothers. Mothers and their preadolescents were more critical/irritable with each other when the child had a psychiatric disorder. Gender differences were apparent, particularly in regard to mother's current psychiatric status. Interactions in adolescent-daughter dyads were more critical when mothers met criteria for a major depressive episode within the month. The results illuminate interactive processes through which psychopathology may be perpetuated in families.