title: Parenting self-efficacy moderates linkage between partner relationship dissatisfaction and avoidant infant-mother attachment: A Dutch study.
abstract: The early infant-mother attachment relationship is part of a network of close relationships in which the relationship between parents is especially relevant. Evidence for linkages between maternal satisfaction with the partner relationship and infant-mother attachment is equivocal. The current study tested whether associations between partner relationship dissatisfaction and infant-mother attachment quality might be conditional on mothers' parenting self-efficacy. The bivariate effect of partner relationship dissatisfaction on infant-mother attachment as well as moderation of this effect by parenting self-efficacy was tested in a sample of 260 infant-mother dyads 1 year after birth. There was no direct effect of partner dissatisfaction on attachment. Unexpectedly, for high parenting self-efficacy, greater partner dissatisfaction increased the odds of an avoidant infant attachment (compared with a disorganized) whereas, for low parenting self-efficacy, greater partner dissatisfaction decreased the odds of an avoidant infant attachment (compared with secure and disorganized). Findings underline the importance of parenting cognitions for understanding contextual factors of infant-mother attachment quality. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies.
authors.forename: Julie F H
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cassé
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies.
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oosterman
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuengel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy