perinatal risk, attachment, and family context
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PERINATAL RISK, ATTACIDiENT, AND FAHILY CONTEXTM. Ann Easterbrooks & Robert J. Harmon
The present study examines relationships amongperinatal risk status, security of attachment tomother and father, and family factors which might beassociated with risk and attachment quality (parents'percepti6~s of marital quality and extent of childinterference). 30 very low birthweight preterm infants (~1500 gr, ,32 wks gestation) and 30 fullterminfants and their parents were observed in a laboratory playroom when infants were 13 months old (corrected age for preterms). Quality of attachment tomother and father was independently assessed in theStrange Situation. Questionnaires included parentalperceptions of the quality of the marital relationship and of child interference in daily life. Thedata support previous reports which fail to linkperinatal risk and security of infant-mother attachment, and extend these findings to infants' attachment relationships with fathers. Further, parentsof risk infants did not perceive their 1-year-01dsas more of an interference in their lives than nonrisk infants. A link between security of attachmentand perception of child interference was found forfathers, with fathers of securely attached infantsbeing less bothered than fathers whose infants hadestablished insecure attachments with ' them. Closerexamination revealed that this effect centered aroundinterference in the marital relationship. Theresults highlight the ability of parents to adapt tothe birth of a high risk infant in a way that cansupport secure infant-mother and infant-fatherattachments and positive parenting attitudes.The relationship between marriage and child development is also an integral aspect of family development.