title: Can behaviour during immunisation be used to identify attachment patterns? A feasibility study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infant attachment is a strong predictor of mental health, and current measures involve placing children into a stressful situation in order to observe how the child uses their primary caregiver to assuage their distress.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore observational correlates of attachment patterns during immunisation.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 parent-child pairs were included in the study. They were all recruited through a single general medical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infant immunisation videos were observed and coded for parenting behaviours as well as pain promoting and pain reducing strategies. Results were compared between different attachment groups, as measured with the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parents of securely attached children scored higher on positive Mellow Parenting Observational System behaviours, but not at a statistically significant level. Parents of securely attached children were also significantly more likely to engage in pain reducing behaviours (p<0.01) than parents of insecurely attached children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robust composite measures for attachment informative behaviours in the immunisation situation should be developed and tested in a fully powered study.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population and Health Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, RHSC Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pritchett
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Minnis
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puckering
authors.forename: Gnanathusharan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rajendran
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations