Anxious Attachment Mediates the Associations Between Early Recollections of Mother's Own Parental Bonding and Mother-Infant Bonding: A 2-Month Path Analysis Model

Overview

Journal Front Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2021 Aug 9

PMID 34366916

Citations 2

Authors

Maor Kalfon Hakhmigari

Yoav Peled

Haim Krissi

Sigal Levy

Maayan Molmen-Lichter

Jonathan E Handelzalts

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Parental bonding (recollection of own parents' parenting), adult attachment, and mother-infant bonding are all closely related yet distinct concepts of the parent-child relationship, sometimes used interchangeably in the literature. This study aimed to examine the associations between these concepts in a longitudinal path analysis design. A total of 262 postpartum women who gave birth at the maternity ward of a large tertiary health center in Israel completed a demographic questionnaire, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR), the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) at 1-4 days postpartum, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) at 2 months postpartum. Parental care factor (PBI) was found to be associated with mother-infant bonding (PBQ), directly and indirectly through insecure anxious attachment (ECR). Denial of autonomy factor (PBI) was found to be associated with mother-infant bonding (PBQ) only through insecure anxious attachment (ECR). Encouragement of behavioral freedom factor (PBI) was found to be associated with mother-infant bonding (PBQ) in a simple correlation but not in the complete model. The results highlight the intergenerational aspects of parenting and suggest that early childhood interventions with parents may have a long-term impact on child-rearing though generations, and by that on children's development.

Citing Articles

Psychometric properties of the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire in three German samples.

Gobel A, Luersen L, Asselmann E, Arck P, Diemert A, Garthus-Niegel S BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024; 24(1):789.

PMID: 39592992 PMC: 11590467. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06964-4.

Parental bonding in retrospect and adult attachment style: A comparative study between Spanish, Italian and Japanese cultures.

Hoenicka M, Lopez-de-la-Nieta O, Rubio J, Shinohara K, Neoh M, Dimitriou D PLoS One. 2022; 17(12):e0278185.

PMID: 36454730 PMC: 9714759. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278185.

References

Farre-Sender B, Torres A, Gelabert E, Andres S, Roca A, Lasheras G . Mother-infant bonding in the postpartum period: assessment of the impact of pre-delivery factors in a clinical sample. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2017; 21(3):287-297. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-017-0785-y. View

van Bussel J, Spitz B, Demyttenaere K . Three self-report questionnaires of the early mother-to-infant bond: reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the MPAS, PBQ and MIBS. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2010; 13(5):373-84. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-009-0140-z. View

Tsaousis I, Mascha K, Giovazolias T . Can parental bonding be assessed in children? Factor structure and factorial invariance of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) between adults and children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2011; 43(2):238-53. DOI: 10.1007/s10578-011-0260-3. View

Moehler E, Brunner R, Wiebel A, Reck C, Resch F . Maternal depressive symptoms in the postnatal period are associated with long-term impairment of mother-child bonding. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2006; 9(5):273-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-006-0149-5. View

Marques R, Monteiro F, Canavarro M, Fonseca A . The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the relationship between attachment representations and depressive and anxiety symptoms in the postpartum period. J Affect Disord. 2018; 238:39-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.013. View

Zanardo V, Soldera G, Volpe F, Giliberti L, Parotto M, Giustardi A . Influence of elective and emergency cesarean delivery on mother emotions and bonding. Early Hum Dev. 2016; 99:17-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.05.006. View

Lehnig F, Nagl M, Stepan H, Wagner B, Kersting A . Associations of postpartum mother-infant bonding with maternal childhood maltreatment and postpartum mental health: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019; 19(1):278. PMC: 6683437. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-019-2426-0. View

Belsky J, Jaffee S, Sligo J, Woodward L, Silva P . Intergenerational transmission of warm-sensitive-stimulating parenting: a prospective study of mothers and fathers of 3-year-olds. Child Dev. 2005; 76(2):384-96. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00852.x. View

Xu M, Morin A, Marsh H, Richards M, Jones P . Psychometric Validation of the Parental Bonding Instrument in a U.K. Population-Based Sample: Role of Gender and Association With Mental Health in Mid-Late Life. Assessment. 2016; 25(6):716-728. PMC: 6108043. DOI: 10.1177/1073191116660813. View

10.

Kretchmar M, Jacobvitz D . Observing mother-child relationships across generations: boundary patterns, attachment, and the transmission of caregiving. Fam Process. 2002; 41(3):351-74. DOI: 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2002.41306.x. View

11.

Fuchs A, Mohler E, Reck C, Resch F, Kaess M . The Early Mother-to-Child Bond and Its Unique Prospective Contribution to Child Behavior Evaluated by Mothers and Teachers. Psychopathology. 2016; 49(4):211-216. DOI: 10.1159/000445439. View

12.

Iles J, Slade P, Spiby H . Posttraumatic stress symptoms and postpartum depression in couples after childbirth: the role of partner support and attachment. J Anxiety Disord. 2011; 25(4):520-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.12.006. View

13.

Cirulli F, Berry A, Alleva E . Early disruption of the mother-infant relationship: effects on brain plasticity and implications for psychopathology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2003; 27(1-2):73-82. DOI: 10.1016/s0149-7634(03)00010-1. View

14.

da Rosa K, Scholl C, Ferreira L, Trettim J, da Cunha G, Rubin B . Maternal-fetal attachment and perceived parental bonds of pregnant women. Early Hum Dev. 2021; 154:105310. PMC: 7910275. DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105310. View

15.

Little K, Sockol L . Romantic Relationship Satisfaction and Parent-Infant Bonding During the Transition to Parenthood: An Attachment-Based Perspective. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:2068. PMC: 7493658. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02068. View

16.

Gobel A, Stuhrmann L, Barkmann C, Schulte-Markwort M, Mudra S . Becoming a mother: Predicting early dissatisfaction with motherhood at three weeks postpartum. Midwifery. 2020; 91:102824. DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2020.102824. View

17.

Handelzalts J, Waldman Peyser A, Krissi H, Levy S, Wiznitzer A, Peled Y . Indications for Emergency Intervention, Mode of Delivery, and the Childbirth Experience. PLoS One. 2017; 12(1):e0169132. PMC: 5207782. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169132. View

18.

Grant K, Bautovich A, McMahon C, Reilly N, Leader L, Austin M . Parental care and control during childhood: associations with maternal perinatal mood disturbance and parenting stress. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2012; 15(4):297-305. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-012-0292-0. View

19.

Tichelman E, Westerneng M, Witteveen A, van Baar A, van der Horst H, de Jonge A . Correlates of prenatal and postnatal mother-to-infant bonding quality: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2019; 14(9):e0222998. PMC: 6759162. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222998. View

20.

Williams C, Taylor E, Schwannauer M . A WEB-BASED SURVEY OF MOTHER-INFANT BOND, ATTACHMENT EXPERIENCES, AND METACOGNITION IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS FOLLOWING CHILDBIRTH. Infant Ment Health J. 2016; 37(3):259-73. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21564. View