The Impact of Maternal Characteristics and Contextual Variables on Infant–Mother Attachment

Abstract

This prospective study examined the effects of maternal characteristics, social support, and risk factors on infant–mother attachment in a heterogeneous sample. Two hundred and six women between the ages of 18 and 40 were interviewed during their last trimester of pregnancy and 1 year postpartum. Structural equation modeling revealed that maternal attachment experiences were significantly related to prenatal representations of the infant and of the self as a mother, which were significantly related to infant–mother attachment assessed by the Strange Situation. Maternal risk factors were significantly related to prenatal representations, and social support from other women predicted infant–mother attachment. The overall model indicated a good fit. Thus, both individual and contextual factors were important in explaining infant attachment security.