Citation

Vando J, Rhule-Louie D, McMahon R, Spieker S. J. Child Fam. Stud. 2008; 17(5): 615-628.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10826-007-9173-y

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We examined the extent to which infant attachment status is directly related to child conduct problems 6 years later, and assessed the potential mediating roles of hostile parenting and maternal depression. The sample included 84 adolescent mothers and their children (45 girls, 39 boys). Infant attachment status was assessed using the Strange Situation when the study children were 1-year-old. Hostile parenting was coded during a parent-child interaction task when the study children were 4.5-years-old. Maternal depression was self-rated, also when the study children were 4.5-years-old, using the Beck Depression Inventory. Mothers reported child conduct problems at Grade 1 on the Child Behavior Checklist. Infant attachment status at 1 year of age was directly related to child conduct problems but not to hostile parenting or maternal depression. Neither hostile parenting nor maternal depression mediated the relationship between infant attachment status and child conduct problems. However, the pattern of relations differed by attachment security. For securely attached children, maternal depression, but not hostile parenting, was directly related to conduct problems. For insecurely attached children, hostile parenting, but not maternal depression, was directly related to child conduct problems. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed.