The Development of Early Attachment Behaviours

Abstract

The normative development of attachment behaviours and the changing relationship between the level of activation of the attachment system and the intensity of subsequent attachment behaviours were studied longitudinally from 3 to 12 months of age. The study was based on Bowlby's notion about increasing goal directedness of the attachment system. The sample consisted of two groups of children, 33 children born with cleft lip and palate and 34 children without this congenital anomaly. To circumvent the age-limited applicability of the Strange Situation procedure, a new observational instrument was developed, the so-called Induced Stress at Home procedure. It appeared that the ISH procedure is a valid alternative to induce and measure the attachment behaviours proximity seeking, contact maintenance and avoidance. Using the multilevel model for longitudinal data, it was shown that attachment behaviours are not very stable across age. An elaborated model revealed that the relationship between activation of the attachment system and subsequent contact maintenance and resistant behaviour become less strong with age. No differences between children with and without cleft lip and palate were found.