Children and their child care caregivers: profiles of relationships

Abstract

AbstractOne thousand three hundred and seventy‐nine (682 girls) caregiver‐child relationships were used to derive attachment behavior profiles. All of the children were enrolled in child care (72% in child care centers). Profile analysis was completed using five subscales of Attachment Q‐Set items. Three profiles were replicated on randomly drawn subsamples, on center based and in‐home based subsamples and on separate subsamples of toddler and preschool children. These profiles were labeled: difficult, avoiding and secure. Children in the secure profile had higher security scores than children in the difficult or avoiding profiles. Children in the avoiding profile appeared the most heterogeneous in attachment security. Children in the avoiding profile with high as opposed to low security scores were older and more likely to use the caregiver as a secure base, seek her for comfort and engage in positive negotiations. Observations conducted on the children with their caregivers provided external validity for the profiles. Children in the secure profile had the most adult involvement.