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Infant attachment in a sample of adolescent mothers

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Abstract

Thirty-eight, healthy, full-term, first-born infants of adolescent mothers were assessed in a standardized laboratory setting using a modified Ainsworth Strange Situation procedure for assessing attachment. The security rate within this sample was 23.7% which differed considerably from that reported in most white middle class samples of approximately 55–65%. Within this sample, 31.6% were classified as insecure/disorganized which contrasts with 12% in middle class white samples reported by Main & Weston. A racial difference was evident. Fewer black infants were securely attached than were white. This paper presents the findings according to race, sex and age and discusses the implications.

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Broussard, E.R. Infant attachment in a sample of adolescent mothers. Child Psych Hum Dev 25, 211–219 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02250990

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