HOSPITALIZATION AND PARENTAL STYLES AS FACTORS AFFECTING INFANT ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

The following paper is a collection of related studies whose results aim to address several pertinent questions in studies of mother-infant relations. These questions are explored in chapter 1, which introduces and reviews the important issues to be examined here. There are 4 studies in this collection. 18 mother infant pairs were the subjects in studies A and B. 6 mother infant pairs in study C and 132 undergraduates in Scudy D. Study A is an attempt to organize knowledge on maternal variables of Singaporean mothers. Study B is a short separation procedure designed to overcome the criticisms aimed at the Ainsworth Strange Situation Procedure reviewed in Chapter I. Study C is an effort to replicate the Ainsworth's procedure so as to compare the results with that of the short separation procedure. Study D attempts to examine the effects of rater-biases and is a justification for the kinds of precautions taken against raterbiases in the first three studies. One of the most basic questions often posed is whether or not maternal variables like Warmth. Control and Concern as well as style of discipline and availability of the mother are antecedents of the quality of attachment in infants. This study has found no support for this claim. It. has, however. found that Concern is a valid construct to consider when studying maternal variables in relation to infant attachment behaviour. Other antecedents explored include hospitalization, foreign maids as primary caretakers, partial fostering, employment, of the mother and other variables concerned with separations of infants from the mother. The effect of socioeconomic status (SES) of mothers on the quality of attachment is also explored. It. is found that the Caretaking arrangement of the infant is related to the quality of attachment. No support is found for relations between the other variables and the quality of attachment. although the effects of SES and availability of the mother were close to significance. The results from the Ainsworth procedure does not contradict those of the short separation provided the assumption of continuity of Ainsworth's classification is made. It was also found that at least some people are susceptible to rater-biases without them being aware of it. Cross-cultural issues regarding maternal variables are discussed.