Strange Situation Research Articles (Page 1)

Predictors of father-infant attachment security in a Portuguese sample.

ABSTRACT The Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) has long been central to attachment research but has rarely been applied to diverse family forms, such as same-sex parent families and families formed through assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This study was the first to use the SSP to compare attachment classifications across same-sex male parent families, same-sex female parent families, and different-sex parent families formed through ART. Data came from the New Parents Study, including 229 parent-child dyads (115 families, including 16 twin families) from the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom, with children assessed around 12 months of age. Multinominal regression analyses showed no associaton between family type and attachment classification. However, children from the Netherlands were more likely to be classified as securely attached. These findings suggest that infant-parent attachment secruity does not differ by family type, expanding the understanding of attachment beyond the traditional mother-father paradigm.

Abstract: Traffic congestion in big cities in Malaysia has become a common scenario among the communities. The journey between homes to working place twice a day at considerable distances is no longer a strange situation. Being in traffic for hours in a sitting position requires recurrent tasks of manual pressing the pedal and brake excessively and if they are done without the correct sitting posture, it may trigger fatigue faster, particularly for the leg and back of the driver. In the long term, it will negatively affect the health of the driver, particularly in the form of physical, psychological, and emotional. Therefore, this paper is trying to investigate the recurrent brake pedal pressings as well as the leg postures while driving in traffic jam. The research is started with the experimental setup and data acquisition on brake pedal pressing as well as leg posture followed by the modelling and analysis of the obtained data using particle swarm optimization (PSO) modelling technique. The validation step was then executed to verify the model derived using open loop and closed loop performance analysis. The results show that the pedal pressing force of leg posture can be closely represented using 2ndorder transfer function and mimics the actual pedal pressing pattern during road traffic delay.

Infant-mother attachment relationships play a crucial role in shaping children's psychological and physiological well-being. This study examined whether attachment quality at 12 months is associated with infant psychophysiological responses to mild stress at 6 months. Participants were 222 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse mother-infant dyads followed from the third trimester of pregnancy through the infant's first year. At 6 months, dyads participated in a free play session followed by the Face-to-Face Still-Face Paradigm (FFSFP). Infant saliva samples were collected before and after free play and at 1, 20, and 30 min post-FFSFP to measure oxytocin, cortisol, and salivary α-amylase (sAA), biomarkers associated with stress and social regulation. Maternal blood samples were collected at 10, 20, and 30 min post-FFSFP and analyzed for oxytocin and cortisol. Attachment quality was assessed at 12 months using the Ainsworth Strange Situation Paradigm. Linear mixed-effects models showed that securely attached infants had significantly higher oxytocin and lower sAA levels than insecurely attached infants, with sAA decreasing over time only in the secure group. No significant differences emerged in infant cortisol reactivity or maternal hormone levels. Findings suggest a potential link between infant attachment quality and stress regulation, particularly involving oxytocin and sympathetic nervous system activity.

This study investigated associations between infant separation distress and preschool behavior problems and examined the mediating effects of parenting self-efficacy and positive parenting on these associations. Participants were 117 young Chinese children and their families. At 14 months, infant separation distress was observed in the Strange Situation Procedure and reported by mothers using the Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment. Mothers reported on their parenting self-efficacy and positive parenting at 38 and 61 months, respectively. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess child behavior problems at 61 months. Mediation analyses showed that observed infant separation distress directly predicted emotional symptoms and mother-reported infant separation distress directly predicted hyperactivity/inattention problems. Observed separation distress lowered maternal parenting self-efficacy, which in turn reduced the use of positive parenting, ultimately linking to increases in preschool behavior problems. To conclude, there exist both direct and indirect associations between infant separation distress and preschool behavior problems.

Verbal and nonverbal parental mentalizing profiles: Distinct profiles of mind-mindedness and embodied parental mentalizing according to infant attachment and parental factors.

Bowlby's concept of attachment as a biobehavioral proximity-regulating system providing infants with confidence in protection and support for exploration has been expanded to include early security's legacy for socialization processes. We report a continued programmatic effort to replicate our model of security as a potent catalyst moderating common maladaptive longitudinal cascades from early child difficulty to increased parental power assertion to externalizing developmental outcomes. We elucidate the multifinality of sequelae that can unfold from early child difficulty. Our moderated mediation model proposes that such cascades occur only in parent-child dyads with histories of insecure attachment in infancy; early security buffers those risks. Children and Parents Study (CAPS) included 200 community mothers, fathers, and children from the U.S. Midwest. At 16 months (N = 194, 93 girls), we observed children's early difficulty (anger dysregulation) and security with each parent in the Strange Situation Paradigm. At 38 months (age 3, N = 175, 86 girls), we observed parents' power-assertive control. At 52 months (age 4.5, N = 177, 86 girls), we observed children's poor self-regulation and violations of conduct rules and obtained parents' reports of children's disruptive behavior. For mothers and children, the indirect effects of early anger dysregulation at 16 months on all three outcomes at age 4.5, mediated via increased power assertion at age 3, were present only in insecure dyads, as reflected in significant moderated mediation. Comprehensive analysis that integrated all three outcomes further supported the robust moderating effect of early security for the entire developmental path from anger dysregulation to power assertion to child outcomes, and for each segment of that path. There were no findings for fathers. We discuss the critical importance - and challenges - of replicating models of complex longitudinal cascades when elucidating multifinality throughthe lens unique to developmental psychology and psychopathology.

Recent studies have indicated that patterns of infant-caregiver attachment are associated with differences in infants' processing of social signals of emotion, such as facial expressions. In the current longitudinal study we extended this line of research to social signals of actual attachment figures by investigating whether 7-month-old infants' neural and attentional responses to their mother's angry and happy facial expressions are associated with infants' attachment security to the mother at 12 months of age. At 7 months (n = 88), we measured event-related potentials (ERP) to the mother's angry and happy faces and attention dwell times to the mother's and a stranger's angry and happy faces, and maternal sensitivity was assessed during free play. At 12 months (n = 69), infant attachment was assessed with the Strange Situation procedure. In infants who were later classified as having secure attachment, the Nc ERP component indexing attention allocation was larger to maternal happy than angry expressions, whereas no difference in Nc amplitudes to maternal facial expressions was observed in infants with later insecure attachment. We speculate that this may indicate greater approach motivation triggered by the reward value of happy faces in securely attached infants through repeated experiences of positive interaction with the caregiver. SUMMARY: Studies have indicated that different patterns of infant-caregiver attachment are associated with infants' processing of emotion expressions. We investigated whether infants' attachment security is related to attentional and neural responses to their mother's facial expressions. Infants with secure attachment displayed larger attention-related brain responses to their mother's happy than angry faces, no difference was found in insecurely attached infants. This may indicate greater reward value associated with happy faces in securely attached infants through repeated experiences of positive interaction with the caregiver.

ABSTRACT Since the inception of attachment theory, parent-child relationships has been examined in different populations, including autistic children. Attachment in autistic children has been measured using inconsistent separation-reunion procedures, making it difficult to examine whether autistic children are more or less likely to develop a secure attachment compared to non-autistic children. This study aims to meta-analyze data from studies that have assessed attachment in autistic children using a standardized version of the Strange Situation Procedure. Using the CASCADE catalogue, we identified six studies (n = 202). Results revealed that 45.6% were classified as secure, 18.7% as avoidant, 8.5% as resistant, and 27.2% as disorganized, which was statistically similar to the proportions of attachment categories in general population. Moderator analyses revealed a higher proportion of secure attachment among older children and more recently published studies. Future research should focus on unifying methodological approaches to studying attachment in autistic children.

Cohabiting family dogs form hierarchies, and there are rank-related differences in certain behaviours even in noncompetitive situations. For companion dogs, the main limited resource could be the owner, but this assumption needs further behavioural testing. We hypothesized that dogs' hierarchical status within multi-dog household is associated with variations in their attachment and dependency behaviours toward their owner. We tested n = 62 cohabiting companion dogs from 31 multi-dog households. The rank score of each subject was determined with a questionnaire (DRA-Q). We used the strange situation test (SST) to assess the dogs' attachment complex towards their owner. The results show that higher-ranking dogs showed less signs of stress in the SST when their owner was present, but they also showed fewer friendly behaviours towards the stranger. Older dogs also presented fewer stress behaviours; however, they were friendlier with the stranger. This is the first time that dogs' hierarchy was taken into consideration regarding dog-owner attachment. We can conclude that dogs' rank and its stability could play a crucial role in creating differences between cohabiting dogs' attachment patterns. We propose further research into the functional analysis of these behavioural differences.

Contingency in maternal sensitivity and quality of child attachment.

Previous research has shown that antibiotic use during the first year is associated with infants' difficult behavior, maternal low sensitivity, and infant insecure-ambivalent attachment. However, these results may depend on the extent and type of parental involvement, paternal stress related to infant care, or the infant's exposure to infections. To explore this question, we analyzed the relationship between these factors and examined potential predictors of antibiotic use among demographic, health, and psychological variables. This study included 62 Portuguese infants and their fathers as participants. Demographic and health information was collected at birth, 3, 9, and 12 months. Father-infant interactive behavior was observed in free play at 3 months and infant attachment in Strange Situation at 12 months. Parental Stress and Parents' Responsibility Scales were used at 9 and 12 months, respectively. Infants who received antibiotics in the first year were less cooperative, more difficult, and less passive in free-play interactions and were more likely to attend a center-based daycare than others. In this study, the predictors of antibiotic use are infant difficultness and daycare type.

More and more, the Internet of Things (IoT) is being used in healthcare. This has made disease tracking much better by letting medical gadgets and apps send data in real time. But it's still hard to make sure that this data is correct and complete, especially when there are oddities that can happen because of broken devices, online threats, or strange physical situations. This paper discusses a machine learning approach for locating unusual items in IoT-connected medical equipment. The aim is to increase the dependability of disease surveillance systems. The proposed approach finds unusual patterns in streams of body data distinct from one another using unsupervised and semi-supervised learning models such as Isolation Forest, Autoencoders, and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. The system architecture is suitable for real-time healthcare applications as it can be implemented on edge, fog, and cloud platforms. With an F1-score of 0.86 and an AUC of 0.91, the LSTM model was the most accurate based on testing utilising both fake and actual datasets. It outperformed conventional techniques such as k-means clustering and Z-score. Two graphical techniques that indicate how well the intended system functions are ECG anomaly detection plots and ROC curves. A flexible and explainable machine learning process, context-aware anomaly scores with EHR integration, and new ideas about how to make models more general and how to balance computing needs are some of the most important advances. These results show that intelligent anomaly detection systems can help with early action, cut down on fake alarms, and make smart healthcare settings safer for patients.

From motion to interaction: How multisensory information shapes motor behaviors in children with visual impairment.

Ainsworth and colleagues, who developed the strange situation procedure (SSP), emphasized the importance of context in attachment research. However, cultural characteristics of infants’ behavior during the SSP have not been explored in detail. This study examined whether East-Asian infants would differ in crying during the SSP from Western infants. If so, we further examined which episodes (e.g., separation and reunion episodes) East-Asian infants would cry differently from Western infants. This study compared three East-Asian samples, one Koran ( n = 76) and two Japanese ( n = 44 and n = 81), with two Western samples, one US ( n = 106) and one Czech ( n = 63). The results consistently revealed that when infants were separated from their mothers for the second time and stayed alone in a strange room, both Korean and Japanese infants scored higher on crying compared with US infants. Subsequently, when a stranger entered the room, all East-Asian infants also scored higher on crying compared with US and Czech infants. Infants did not show different levels of crying in the reunion episodes, with the exception of one sample of Japanese infants that scored higher on crying compared with the Western samples of Czech and US infants during the second reunion episode. The findings suggest cultural differences in infants’ crying during the SSP.

The Circle of Security - Parenting (COSP™) is a psychoeducational intervention aiming at fostering secure child-parent attachment relationships. In a randomized controlled trial, we investigate the effect of COSP™ as an adjunct to care-as-usual compared to only care-as-usual for at-risk families. Mothers and their 2-12-month-old infants were randomized into COSP™ +care-as-usual (n = 197) for at-risk families in Copenhagen or only care-as-usual (n = 100). At-risk status was either mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression and/or infants showed social withdrawal. The primary outcome was maternal sensitivity which was coded with the Coding Interactive Behavior. Our secondary outcomes were maternal reflective functioning, assessed with the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire - Infant Version, and child-mother attachment, assessed with the Strange Situation Procedure. Results showed no significant differences between the RCT groups on either the primary or secondary outcomes (all ps ≥ .146). We discuss these findings in relation to the applicability and targeted population who can benefit from COSP™, and whether alternative programs would be more effective for at-risk families with infants.

ABSTRACT I describe the development, with Ruth Goldwyn, Charlie Stanley and others, of the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST); particularly highlighting the pivotal role that Mary Main played in its evolution, and its approach to attachment Disorganization. MCAST is a doll play vignette-completion technique characterizing attachment representations in young school-aged children (4.5-8.5 years). It uses a specific dyadic focus and adapts both Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) methods within its coding procedure, thus allowing a full detailed attachment classification including Disorganisation. I detail how Mary’s prior work, insight and continuing support, along with Erik Hesse, in applying these coding systems to play narratives, was crucial to the successful development of the instrument. With selected research data, I then review some of the developmental and clinical issues that MCAST has subsequently addressed, reflected in a 2018 meta-analytic review of 25 studies investigating MCAST Disorganisation.

The foremost index of caregiving quality is child attachment, as supported by attachment theory. Research supports the relevance of early parenting interventions in improving child outcomes in attachment quality to promote public health because of their long-term effects on mental health and functioning. This study aimed at evaluating the impact on both parenting and child outcomes of the Parent-Child Psychological Support Programme® (PCPS), a community-based program individually tailored to parents and their infants during periodic center-based visits to promote attachment security. The evaluation involved two cohorts from "vulnerable populations" and used the resources embedded in the program design without interfering with the normal functioning of the service. From an evaluative research approach, the effects on mothers and children were assessed using a quantitative approach. Pre- and post-test measures (parenting questionnaires) and child attachment quality assessments through the Strange Situation Procedure were examined. The equivalence of the cohorts was verified and used as a baseline for parenting outcomes. PCPS participants demonstrated increased parental competence and self-efficacy, as well as reduced levels of parenting stress. Analysis of the two cohorts showed a significant difference in the number of visits and proxies for intervention, which were associated with the expected pre-post changes in parenting dimensions. The proportion of securely attached children was significantly higher in the "medium-high intervention" group than in the "no/low intervention" group (72.7% vs 54.5%). Furthermore, compared with international baselines, this proportion showed no differences in the "no-/low-intervention" group but demonstrated expected significant differences in the "medium-high intervention" group.

This study is the first to explore the relation between children's attachment classifications, assessed by Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation Procedure (SSP), and mothers' acceptance-rejection behaviors from the lens of Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPARTheory). As a pilot study, the sample consisted of 23 Egyptian mother-child dyads. The mean age of children in the SSP was 18.6 months (SD=3.10). Mothers' acceptance-rejection behaviors were explored through the Parental Acceptance-Rejection/Control Questionnaire (PARQ/Control). The pilot study's findings revealed that maternal acceptance-rejection behaviors significantly differed across children's attachment classifications. The findings also shed light on gender differences in parenting, as mothers tended to show a higher level of hostility/aggression, undifferentiated rejection, and control with their daughters more than sons. This study is an important stepping-stone for attachment research in the Arab world. It highlights several cultural aspects to be taken into account for future research using the SSP in Egypt or any other Arab country.

The attachment theory emphasizes the role of caregiver sensitivity in shaping children’s behavioral development. However, it remains unclear whether variations in early caregiving quality in low-risk populations influence children’s physical health across development. This study investigates whether maternal sensitivity and infant-mother attachment security are associated with children’s physical health from 0 to 14 years. We employed Bayesian generalized linear mixed models to analyze data from a low-risk Dutch sample from birth to age 14 (N = 193). Maternal sensitivity was assessed five times from 5 weeks to 14 years, while attachment security was assessed at 12 months using the Strange Situation Procedure. Child health complaints were recorded monthly in the first year and with intervals of 1–2 years until 14 years (N = 150) and categorized according to the International Classification of Primary Care: respiratory, skin, general, digestive symptoms. Higher maternal sensitivity scores in the first year of life and throughout 14 years were related to fewer total health complaints, particularly respiratory. Securely attached children showed fewer symptoms when early maternal sensitivity was higher. Insecurely attached children showed fewer health complaints, irrespective of sensitivity throughout childhood. Our findings indicate that maternal sensitivity and attachment may influence physical health. Future research should explore underlying psychobiological mechanisms.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-025-08350-5.