Mother Attachment Research Articles

Examining the Development of Peer Attachment Based on Parental Attachment, and Collaborative Impacts on Mental Health among Japanese Youth

This study aimed at confirming the factor structure of the Japanese version of Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) for peers. Furthermore, it examined whether or not peer attachment is significantly influenced by father and/or mother attachment, and to see whether father and mother attachment affects mental health directly and/or indirectly via peer attachment for each gender among Japanese youth. The targets of this study were 433 (men: 149, women: 284) Japanese college students who completed every item of the Japanese version of father, mother, and peer IPPAs, as well as Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) to evaluate their mental health. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to confirm the factor structure of the Japanese version of peer IPPA. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was utilized to see whether or not peer attachment is significantly influenced by father and/or mother attachment, and whether or not peer attachment mediates between parental IPPA and mental health. A bi-factor model, constituted by one general factor and three specific factors forming the original IPPA developed by Armsden & Greenberg (1989), was supported by excluding one item from the specific factor Alienation. SEM revealed that the mental health of both male and female respondents was significantly influenced by peer attachment. Among males, its platform was built by attachment only to the father, whereas among females, it was built by both father and mother attachment.

Виктимность в юношеском возрасте: роль социальных связей и характера отношений в семье и студенческом сообществе

Introduction. Currently, there is an increase in the risks of victimization among representatives of different age and social strata, including young people. The aim of this study was to reveal the role of the quality of students’ relationships with peers and parents in the determination of their victimization. Materials and methods. Russian university students (M=105) took part in the study. The following methods were used: a demographic questionnaire, O.O. Andronnikova's Methods for Studying propensity to Victim Behavior by O.O. Andronnikova, G. Armsden and M. Greenberg's Parent and Peer Attachment Questionnaire, Alvarez's Family Social Capital Questionnaire, Lau and Lee's Student Social Capital Questionnaire. The obtained results indicated the positive role of secure attachment to the mother and to the friend, family cohesion and the negative role of conflicts in the family in the prevention of victimized behavior in adolescence Realised victimhood is more closely related to mother attachment than to father and friend attachment. Communication and cohesion among family members prevent the realisation of victimhood, while conflictual relationships within the family contribute to it. The propensity for aggressive behaviour is determined by the characteristics of attachment to mother, father and close friend; family relationships, attachment to mother and attachment to friend predict the propensity for self-harm; the propensity for dependent and uncritical victimization is determined more by family relationships than by peer relationships. The practical significance of the results is discussed.

Role of Parenting Status in the Relationship Between Maternal Depression and Infant–Mother Attachment: A Longitudinal Cohort Study in China

ABSTRACTThis study in China aimed to explore the impact of maternal depression on infant–mother attachment and whether parenting status moderated this relationship. Women underwent depression assessments at seven perinatal time points: ≤12, 17, 21, 31, and 37 weeks of pregnancy, as well as 1 and 6 weeks postpartum. Those completing at least three times assessments, along with their infants, were invited for infant–mother attachment assessment at 12–18 months postpartum. Among 233 infant–mother pairs completing the infant–mother attachment assessment, 62 and 80 mothers had postnatal depression and perinatal major depression, respectively; 75 (32.2%) of infants exhibited insecure attachment. While infants whose mothers had maternal depression showed a slightly elevated rate of insecure attachment, this difference did not achieve statistical significance. Additionally, parenting status did not influence the relationship between maternal depression and infant–mother attachment. Nevertheless, the study hinted that more physical contact between mother and infant might reduce insecure attachment likelihood. Future research should expand sample sizes and assessment points for better understanding. In addition, encouraging close interaction and physical touch between mother and infant may be beneficial.

The Influence of Self-Confidence and Parent Attachment on Student Independence at Darul Qur'an Wal Irsyad Yogyakarta Islamic Boarding School

The purpose of this study uses a quantitative approach with multiple regression analysis. The research sample was 220 students taken by probability sampling technique, namely random sampling. In this study, the author uses a measure of independence obtained from the theory put forward by Noom, Meeus, and Decovic. The author adapts and modifies the data collection instruments, namely adolescence autonomy questionnaire (AAQ), Personal Evaluation Inventory (PEI), dan Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). The results of this study show that self-confidence and parent attachment have a significant simultaneous influence on the independence of students at the Darul Qur'an Wal Irsyad Islamic Boarding School Yogyakarta. The overall self-confidence variable has a significant influence, where all significant aspects are academic, appearance, athletics, romantic, social, speaking, general, and mood. Meanwhile, parent attachment is divided into two variables, namely mother attachment and father attachment, each of which consists of three dimensions, namely trust, communication, and alienation. In the parent attachment variable, there are two dimensions that have a significant influence on the independence of students, namely communication and alienation of the mother attachment variable.

Emotional and interpersonal states following dialectical behavioral therapy in adolescent borderline personality disorder: A proof-of-concept ecological momentary assessment outcome study

ABSTRACT Objective: The effects of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) on emotional and interpersonal instability were explored in adolescents exhibiting Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) features, using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to reduce recall bias. Method: N = 28 help-seeking female adolescents were enrolled, meeting ≥ 3 DSM-IV BPD criteria. BPD criteria, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and depressive symptoms were examined pre- and post-DBT-A treatment (mean duration: 42.74 weeks, SD = 7.46). Participants maintained e-diaries pre- and post-treatment, hourly rating momentary affect, attachment to mother and best friend, and self-injury urges. Results: Interview-rated BPD symptoms decreased (χ²(1) = 5.66, p = .017), alongside reduced self-rated depression severity (χ²(1) = 9.61, p = .002). EMA data showed decreased NSSI urges (χ²(1) = 9.05, p = .003) and increased mother attachment (χ²(1) = 6.03, p = .014). However, mean affect, affective instability, mean attachment to the best friend, and attachment instability showed no significant change over time. Conclusion: DBT-A yielded limited evidence for altering momentary affective states and instability in adolescents based on EMA. Nevertheless, significant effects were observed in reducing NSSI urges and enhancing interpersonal dynamics during treatment, as assessed via EMA.

The Effect of Hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Maternal Stress and Attachment: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Environment Effect.

This study investigated the effects of hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to congenital pneumonia (CP) on maternal stress and attachment, focusing on how the duration of invasive and noninvasive mechanical ventilation, length of NICU stay, and postpartum breastfeeding initiation time influence mother-infant attachment. Conducted among 30 mothers of 3-month-old infants admitted to the NICU with CP and a control group (n = 30), it analyzed the impact of medical intervention durations and breastfeeding initiation on maternal stress and attachment using statistical methods. The maternal stress in the NICU group was significantly higher than in the control group (P = .014). However, there was no significant difference between the groups in attachment scores (P = .141). The study revealed that longer invasive mechanical ventilation (P < .001) and NICU stay (P < .001) significantly increased maternal stress. Maternal stress (P < .001) and breastfeeding initiation time(P < .001) exhibit a negative correlation with attachment scores (P < .001). It is crucial to implement interventions aimed at reducing maternal stress and fostering maternal-infant attachment for mothers of newborns admitted to the NICU. The sustained application of these interventions post discharge holds significance for the mental health of mothers and mother-infant attachment.

A two-generation study of attachment in mothers and their young adult offspring: Latent classes of attachment and associations with anxiety and depression

BackgroundEvidence supports the conceptualization of adult attachment as existing along a continuum of attachment security and insecurity; however, ongoing debates persist regarding the use of categorical versus continuous approaches to studying attachment. Attachment data collected from a large community sample of mothers and their offspring in young adulthood were used to examine i) latent classes of adult attachment, ii) associations between mother and offspring attachment, iii) the relationship between adult attachment and mental health symptoms. MethodsMothers and offspring were each administered the Attachment Style Questionnaire when offspring were aged 21-years. Latent class analyses (LCA) were performed to examine response patterns across ASQ items. Associations between mothers' and offspring attachment, and correlations between attachment domains and depression/anxiety subscales were examined. ResultsLCA identified four latent classes across a continuum of secure and insecure attachment rather than four distinct adult attachment styles. Anxious attachment subscales correlated strongly with depression/anxiety symptoms in both cohorts. Mothers' attachment was significantly but weakly correlated with their young adult offspring attachment. LimitationsAttachment was measured at one time point and as such, a causal maternal-offspring attachment relationship could not be established. ConclusionsFindings support a dimensional view of attachment security and insecurity over a four-category model of adult attachment. Attachment correlated with anxiety and depressive symptoms and highlights the importance of considering adult attachment when addressing mental health. There was limited evidence of a relationship between middle aged mothers and their offspring in young adulthood, suggesting other factors influence attachment in adulthood.

Factors Related to Maternal-fetal Attachment in Pregnant Mothers: An Analytical Cross-sectional Study

Aim:: The study investigated the relationship between Determining the Factors Related to Maternal-Fetal Attachment in Pregnant Mothers with Maternal-Fetal Attachment. Background:: Demographic policies in Iran emphasize population, fertility, and maternal health. Maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) is a term used to describe conditions that help the mother cope with the physiological changes during pregnancy. MFA contributes significantly to the future health of mother and child. Thus, it is essential to identify the nature of maternal-fetal attachment during pregnancy, when women need to prepare for and adapt to childbirth. The present study was conducted to determine the factors related to maternal-fetal attachment in pregnant mothers of Arak City. Objectives:: The study investigated the relationship between obstetric-demographic factors, emotional intelligence, marital satisfaction, and domestic violence with maternal-fetal attachment. Methods:: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 177 pregnant mothers with a gestational age of 37-40 who were referred to health centers in Arak, Iran, for pregnancy care in 2022. Five questionnaires, including an obstetric-demographic questionnaire, Cranley's Standard Mother-Fetal Attachment Scale, Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, ENRICH marital satisfaction scale, and HITS domestic violence questionnaire, were used to measure the factors related to maternal-fetal attachment. Data were analyzed using SPSS21 software and descriptive and analytical statistics, including frequency distribution, Pearson correlation, t-test, Chi-square, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Multiple Logistic Regression model. Results:: The mean of age women and age of husbands was 29.07± 5.88 years and 32.93± 5.28 years, respectively. The mean maternal-fetal attachment score was 88.12± 15.76. The mean of the emotional intelligence, the marital satisfaction and, the domestic violence was 4.71± 2.81, 121.88± 17.30, 37.86± 7.25, 6.54± 3.35, respectively. The interval between the current and the previous pregnancy had a range of 1-7 years and a mean of 4.71± 2.8 years. : There was a positive significant correlation between the maternal-fetal attachment score and the interval between the current and the previous pregnancy (r=0.22, p=0.02), : There was a positive significant correlation between the maternal-fetal attachment score and the emotional intelligence (r=0.31, p=0.001) the marital satisfaction (r=0.25, P=0.001). There was a negative significant correlation between the maternal-fetal attachment score and the domestic violence (r=-0.26, p=0.001 Conclusion:: Identifying attachment-related factors helps the health staff carry out the necessary training and preventive measures to increase maternal-fetal attachment, especially in high-risk parents who need more care.

Determinasi Perlekatan dan Posisi Ibu Menyusui dalam Memberikan ASI terhadap Keberhasilan Pemberian ASI Eksklusif di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Oesapa

Insufficient breastfeeding can cause malnutrition babies, making them more susceptible disease. Breastfeeding baby for 6 months without additional food, drink is called exclusive breastfeeding. Improper breastfeeding position and attachment can result in low breast milk production. Apart from making the nipples feel sore and causing breast milk not to come out optimally, incorrect breastfeeding techniques can also make the baby refuse to breastfeed, which has a negative impact on breast milk production. The aim of research determine the influence of the position and attachment of breastfeeding mothers and their role on the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in the Oesapa Community Health Center working area. The research design is case control which is used together with observational analysis as research methodology. Complete sampling and significance threshold of α=0.05, 27 case samples and 27 control samples. This study, data were analyzed using methods, univariate, bivariate (chi square statistical test to assess the influence position and attachment style of breastfeeding mothers on the success of exclusive breastfeeding in the Oesapa Community Health Center), multivariate (logistic regression). statistical test to identify the most dominant variable). attachment and body posture in relation to effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding. The results of the study showed that there was relationship between attachment (p-value= 0.000, OR=9.534), position (p-value 0.000, OR=12.025) and the success of exclusive breastfeeding. Recommended that health workers facilitate and motivate the implementation of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding, to their citizens, increase the role of health workers educating breastfeeding mothers to apply the correct latch and position.

Predictors of a child's psychosomatic well-being

The article discusses predictors of a child's psychosomatic well-being, such as readiness for motherhood and mother's attachment to the child. Their concepts and their influence on the child's life are revealed. Readiness for motherhood is an important aspect of every woman's life. It includes physical, psychological and emotional readiness, as well as the support of people around you. Not all women are ready for motherhood, which can lead to serious consequences for the child. Physical readiness is a woman's state of health that allows her to carry and give birth to a child. Psychological readiness is a woman's ability to adapt to a new role as a mother and be ready for changes in her life. Emotional readiness is a woman's ability to experience emotions related to motherhood. An important aspect of readiness for motherhood is also the support of people around you. The attachment of the mother to the child is a key factor for ensuring the psychosomatic well-being of the child. Mothers should strive to create a favorable atmosphere in the family and support close relationships with children. They should also learn to manage their emotions and seek help from specialists if there are problems in their relationships with children. Readiness for motherhood should begin long before pregnancy and include physical, psychological and emotional preparation, as well as the support of others.

The role of child's temperament and mother's attachment and parenting styles in predicting behavioral problems of 3-5 year old children with working mothers

The role of child's temperament and mother's attachment and parenting styles in predicting behavioral problems of 3-5 year old children with working mothers

Predicting emotion regulation in typically developing toddlers: Insights into the joint and unique influences of various contextual predictors

Emotion regulation (ER) is a source of risk and resilience for psychological development and everyday functioning. Despite extensive research on various early contextual predictors of child ER capacity, few studies have integrated them into the same study. Therefore, our longitudinal study investigated the joint and independent contributions of several prominent contextual predictors of child ER capacity. We followed typically developing children and their caregivers (N = 118, 47% girls) at three time points (children ages 10, 12, and 18 months). At 10 months, mothers reported household chaos, social support, and parenting stress, and maternal sensitivity was observed and coded with the Ainsworth’s Maternal Sensitivity Scales. At 12 months, child–mother attachment security was assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure. Finally, at 18 months, child ER was obtained with a Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery frustration task. Correlational analyses revealed that household chaos and maternal sensitivity were significantly positively associated with child ER. Multiple regression analyses showed independent effects of household chaos and maternal sensitivity on child ER. Our partly counterintuitive results underscore the significance of cumulative risk and protective factors for ER development and suggest that household chaos and maternal sensitivity may contribute uniquely to better ER in typical toddlerhood.

Effectiveness of family metacognitive training in mothers with psychosis and their adolescent children: a multicenter study protocol.

More than half of women with psychosis take care of their children despite the difficulties caused by the disease. Additionally, these kids have a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder. However, no interventions have been developed to meet these needs. Metacognitive Training (MCT) is a psychological intervention that has demonstrated its efficacy in improving cognitive insight, symptom management and social cognition in people with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Additionally, MCT has shown better results in women than men with FEP. This study aims to adapt and evaluate the efficacy of MCT-F in mothers and adolescent children in an online group context with the main purpose of improving family relationships, cognitive awareness and symptoms in women with psychosis and increase their children's knowledge of the disease and their functioning. As secondary objectives, it also aims to evaluate improvements in metacognition, social cognition, symptoms, protective factors and self-perception of stigma. A quasi-experimental design with participants acting as their own control will be carried out. Forty-eight mothers with psychosis and their adolescent children (between 12 and 20 years old) recruited from a total of 11 adult mental health care centers will receive MCT-F. Participants will be evaluated 11 weeks before the intervention (T1), at baseline (T2), and post-intervention (T3) with a cognitive insight scale, as a primary outcome. Measures of metacognitive and social cognition, symptoms, cognitive functioning, family and social functioning, protective factors (self-esteem, resilience, and coping strategies) and self-perceived stigma will be addressed as secondary outcomes. Assessment will also address trauma and attachment in mothers and, lastly, the feasibility and acceptability of MCT-F in both participant groups. This will be the first investigation of the efficacy, acceptability, and viability of the implementation of MCT-F. The results of this study may have clinical implications, contributing to improving mothers' with psychosis and adolescents' functioning and better understanding of the disease, in addition to the possible protective and preventive effect in adolescents, who are known to be at higher risk of developing severe mental disorders.Clinical trial registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier [NCT05358457].

Family Support Affect Bonding Attachment of Baby and Adolescent Mother

A AbstractThe transition to parenthood can be difficult for adolescent. The birth of a baby causes a fundamental challenge to the interaction structure that has been formed. Mothers have a very important role in improving health status, especially in terms of monitoring the growth and development of babies. Unpreparedness in carrying out her new role as a mother can cause frustration and perceive her baby as a nuisance and can be psychological disorders such as postpartum depression or postpartum blues, thereby reducing the bond between mother and baby. This study used a cross-sectional method with a purposive sampling technique on 106 respondents. The results of univariate analysis showed that the average age of teenage mothers was 18 years, marital status was married (90.56%), last education was high school (81.14%), the baby's temperament was difficult (66.9%) and the mother's psychosocial condition was not at risk (54%). Bivariate analysis shows that family support influences the bond between babies and adolescent mothers, with informational support of 86.1%, instrument support of 90%, emotional support of 76.5% and appreciation support of 78.2%. The results of this study it can be concluded, the good family support, can affect the better of bonding attachment between mother and baby.Keywords: Adolescent Mothers, Family Support, Bonding Attachment

Relationship Between the Risk of Postpartum Depression and Maternal and Infant Attachment Bonding

Introduction: Childbirth has psychological, emotional and physical impacts, involving the acquisition of new roles and parenting tasks that the mother must face. These changes can result in stress for the mother, prolonged stress causes the mother to be at risk of postpartum depression. One of the impacts is the bonding attachment of mother and baby. Objective: This study aims to determine the relationship between the risk of postpartum depression and the bonding attachment of mother and baby. Research Place: Umban Sari Community Health Center Working Area. Method: This research uses the correlation method. The research sample of 83 respondents used purposive sampling technique. The bivariate analysis used was the chi-square test. Results: The results of the statistical test analysis obtained a p-value = 0.02 0.05 with an OR value = 6.8. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the risk of postpartum depression and bonding attachment between mother and baby. Suggestion: After giving birth, many mothers are not aware of the symptoms of depression that occur, therefore the importance of health education and depression screening programs to prevent postpartum depression.

Parental Attachment and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents Exposed to Marital Conflict.

(1) Background: Interparental conflict is a phenomenon that poses a serious threat not only to the quality of life of the couple but also to the father-child relationship, mother-child relationship, and well-being of adolescents. This study examined the difference in parental attachment and adjustment in adolescents exposed to marital conflict versus those not exposed to parental conflicts in low-income areas. (2) Methods: 67 adolescents involved in Child Welfare Services (CWS) in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in southern Spain were examined. The sample was split into two groups according to the exposure to marital conflict. Subsequently, differences between groups were analysed on father attachment, mother attachment, aggression, antisocial behaviour, and emotional intelligence. (3) Results: Primarily, the data showed significantly worse attachment with the father among conflict-exposed versus non-conflict-exposed adolescents. These results were not found for the attachment with the mother. Additionally, greater anger and worse stress management were found in conflict-exposed adolescents. (4) Conclusions: The results partially confirmed the spillover and compensatory hypothesis. Practical implications point out that developing preventive interventions that protect the father-adolescent attachment in situations of family conflict is recommended.

A systematic review of parental burnout and related factors among parents

BackgroundParenting is both a complex and stressful endeavor, so parents sometimes experience parenting burnout. The main objective of this study was to provide an overview of factors related to general parental burnout (PB) among parents with at least one child based on the Ecological Systems Theory (EST).MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, CNKI and WanFang were systematically searched for studies published from 2010 to July 2023 for peer-reviewed articles using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as “parenting”, “parental”, “burnout”, “psychological burnout”, “burn-out syndrome”. Studies were included if they described associations between factors and PB among parents of children aged 0-18 years old in the general population, and published in an English or Chinese language peer-reviewed journal. The Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD) was employed to assess the risk of bias of included studies.ResultsOf 2037 articles, 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Based on the Ecological Systems Theory (EST), we found that microsystem-individual factors such as gender, educational level, income, parental personality, internalization of maternal parental motivation, unmitigated communion, self-compassion and concern for others, alexithymia, anxiety and depressive symptoms, parental perfectionism, resilience, low self-esteem and high need for control, mother's attachment style were identified as being associated with parenting burnout. Mesosystem-interpersonal factors involve parent-child relationship and marital satisfaction. The exosystem-organizational or community factors include the number of children in the household, neighborhood and the number of hours spent with children, child's illness, child's behavior problems and social support. The macrosystem-society/policy or culture factors are mainly personal values and cultural values.ConclusionsThis systematic review found several factors that have been investigated in relation to PB. However, the majority of the factors were reported by one or two studies often implementing a cross-sectional design. Nevertheless, we still recommend that health policymakers and administrators relieve parenting burnout among parents with children by adjusting these modifiable factors.

Exploring the key drivers of responsive parenting in mothers and fathers - observed and self-reported responsiveness.

This article explores parental responsiveness - the ability of a parent to react to a child's needs adequately, promptly, and with tenderness and synchrony. Parental responsiveness can be measured using observational and self-report scales. The purpose of this study was to explore whether individual differences in empathy and attachment in mothers and fathers and their satisfaction with their relationship are predictors of parental responsiveness toward infants. Moreover, self-report and observational measures of parental responsiveness were compared. A total of 110 triads (mother, father, and child aged 6-10 months) took part in the free play procedure and parents' behaviors towards their children were assessed using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale. Moreover, they filled out a set of questionnaires measuring parental self-reported responsiveness, empathy, experiences in close relationships and romantic relationship satisfaction. Higher empathic concern was connected with higher responsiveness and this was seen in both individual and partner measures. At the individual level, measures of responsiveness (self-report and observational) were not congruent and probably depended on other variables. In couples, there were positive correlations in three aspects of their family functioning: observed and self-reported parental responsiveness as well as relationship satisfaction. This study revealed differences between self-reported and observational measures of parental responsiveness, indicating that their results may not always be congruent and could depend on other variables.

The effectiveness of the SATIR approach on parent-child attachment among adolescent mothers: a before-after study

Background Mother–child attachment is influenced by various factors, particularly social norms. It’s crucial to consider the impact of cultural contexts and societal expectations on parent-child attachment. Objective The study investigated the influence of counseling based on SATIR’s theory on parent-child attachment in Iranian adolescent mothers. Methods The study adopts a before-after design. It involves 33 adolescent mothers and their husbands. They received 6 sessions of counseling based on SATIR’s approach. Data were collected using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in the pretest, post-test, and 6 weeks after the end of the counseling sessions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA at a 95% confidence level. Results The mean total score of the MPAS was 68.75 ± 7.7 in the pretest, 75.17 ± 6.44 in the post-test, and 77.75 ± 6.12 in the follow-up period which has increased over time (p = 0.001). The repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing overall attachment scores (59%) and the subscales of ‘quality of attachment’ by 56%, ‘absence of hostility’ by 21%, and ‘pleasure in interaction’ by 27%. Conclusion The study shows that using the SATIR approach effectively improves mother-child attachment in adolescent mothers after giving birth. Also, involving spouses in postpartum counseling programs seems to be a helpful strategy, indicating it should be taken into account by professionals in this area.

Impact of Mother Attachment on the Psychological Immunity among girl students studying at Senior Secondary level

Attachment can be understood as a long-lasting, deep and strong emotional bond formed between the primary caregiver (mother) and the child or infant, especially during early formative years which arises out of the human need to connect and seek affection, love, and security. It is seen that early attachment experiences impact our behaviour and relationships as adults. Mother-daughter attachment is a unique form of attachment which is studied under the Mother-Daughter Attachment Model helping us to explore and understand the attachment needs of the mother-daughter relationship across ages, cultures, and areas. The current study does not focus on the intergenerational attachment between mothers and girls, rather it tries to study the impact of gender as an independent variable on mother attachment and psychological immunity of 2160 adolescents (n1 (boys) = 1080; n2 (girls) = 1080) studying in senior secondary classes (class XI) of government and private schools in Delhi NCR. It also aims to investigate the impact of mother attachment as an independent variable on the Psychological Immunity (PI) of adolescents and among girls specifically, using linear regression analysis. It is seen that gender plays no significant role in influencing mother attachment, though girls are reported to demonstrate lesser externalizing behaviours than boys in case of avoidant or insecure attachments; however, mother attachment plays a significant role in impacting PI of students in the transition phase from childhood to adulthood. The study reveals how coping behaviours, daily stress management, and the mental well-being of adolescents are closely linked to maternal attachment, though mother attachment is not found to significantly impact the PI of girl students in particular. The need for mental health professionals to better understand the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships thereby helping to foster the need to support availability of better guidance and counselling services, healthier aging among mothers, better mental health and emotional well-being of girls and women is recommended.