Mothers’ Reports of Early Attachment Experiences and their Perceptions of the Quality of their Network of Family Relationships

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between mothers’ reports of their early attachment experiences and the quality of their current relationships with their youngest child, partner, mother and father. It aimed to evaluate the argument that early attachment experiences lay down mental models which form a basis for all future relationships and considered how important different family figures were to mothers on a range of relationships dimensions. 101 mothers with pre‐school children participated in the study. Recall of early attachment experiences with mothers and fathers was assessed using Hazen and Shaver's (1987) Parental Style Descriptions. Quality of current relationships was measured using Furnham and Buhrmester's (1985) Network of Relationships Inventory. The results demonstrated that memories of early attachment experiences were selectively associated with some dimensions of current relationships. However, continuity of past and current experiences was largely evident in the relationships with the subjects’ mothers and fathers and was largely absent in their current relationships with their child and partner. Finally, the mothers’ current relationships with their children was generally rated as more important in many aspects than other relationships. The implications of the results for several aspects of attachment theory was discussed.