Maternal Attachment Behaviors with Adopted and Birth Infants.

Autor/in	Chan, Marilyn M.
Titel	Maternal Attachment Behaviors with Adopted and Birth Infants.
Quelle	(1987), (15 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Adopted Children; Attachment Behavior; Biological Parents; Comparative Analysis; Family Problems; Infants; Intervention; Mothers; Parent Attitudes; Pretests Posttests + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Adoption; Child; Children; Adoptivkind; Kind; Kinder; Attachment; Bindungsverhalten; Familienkrise; Infant; Toddler; Toddlers; Kleinkind; Mother; Mutter; Elternverhalten
Abstract	This study investigated: (1) effects of teaching mothers the unique behavioral cues of their adopted infants and (2) potential differences between the mothering practices of adoptive and birth mothers. A pretest, posttest experimental prospective design was used with random assignment of mother-infant dyads. Mother-adopted infant dyads were further randomly divided into intervention or nonintervention groups, creating control groups of adoptive and birth mothers. Participating mothers were approximately 30 years old; infants were between 2 and 3 months old. A newborn physical, a maternal interview, and dyadic observation after a stressful period were performed as pretest and posttest. Pretests indicated that all adopted infants differed from birth infants in affect, holding, and gazing. Adoptive mothers looked at their infants less than control birth mothers. The intervention group was taught specific behavioral cues from Barnard's Infant Behavior Assessment Record. After intervention, adoptive mothers in the intervention group demonstrated more maternal vocalizing and touching than did adoptive controls. Adopted infants held onto mothers more and withdrew from maternal touch more than did adopted infant controls. Findings indicated that birth and adoptive mothers differed in concerns and feelings. It is concluded that mothering practices of mothers of adopted infants can be changed by a specific teaching intervention. Recommendations for future research are discussed. (Author/RH)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC