Affect attunement and maternal attachment: An observational study of the intergenerational transmission of mothers' internal representations of attachment.
Item
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Title
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Affect attunement and maternal attachment: An observational study of the intergenerational transmission of mothers' internal representations of attachment.
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Identifier
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AAI9000030
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identifier
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9000030
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Creator
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Haft, Wendy Laura.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Arietta Slade
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Date
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1989
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Psychology, Developmental
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Abstract
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The present study investigates the notion that individual differences in maternal representations of their own early childhood attachment relationships will impede or facilitate the recognition of their infant's experiences and needs.;Mother-infant dyads were videotaped in a laboratory setting with their 10-13 month old babies. Maternal attunement behaviors and fantasies about the babies during the attunement moment were recorded and examined in light of individual differences in maternal attachment. Women were then classified as secure, dismissing or preoccupied in relation to attachment on the basis of the Adult Attachment Interview. (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985).;The findings reveal that securely attached mothers are more attuned to their babies than those who are insecurely attached. Secure mothers attune to a range of infant affect, while insecure mothers attune to particular affects and not to others. Specifically, dismissing mothers tend not to attune to negative affect, whereas preoccupied mothers randomly and inconsistently attune to both positive and negative affect states. Qualitative analyses of the data suggest that insecure mothers misattune to infant affects that threaten their internalized attitudes toward attachment. The findings support the hypothesis that the nature of a mother's internal affective experience powerfully influences the affects she acknowledges and attunes to in her child.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
