NONMATERNAL CARE AND THE SECURITY OF INFANT MOTHER ATTACHMENT - A REANALYSIS OF THE DATA

Data from 13 studies (N = 897) were combined to allow tests of the associations between the experience of, extent of, and onset of nonmaternal care and the security of infant-mother attachment as assessed in the Strange Situation between 11 and 24 months of age. Secure attachments were significantly more common among infants in exclusive maternal core than among those who experienced regular nonmaternal core for more than 5 hrs per week, and ratings of avoidance were also higher among those receiving regular nonmaternal core. Insecure attachments were significantly more common among those infants assessed above 15 months of age and among those who entered care between 7 and 12 months of age, rather than before. Extent of nonmaternal care was not significantly associated with attachment classifications; insecure attachments were not more common among those in care for more rather than less than 20 hrs per week. However, log-linear analysis revealed a complex interaction between age of assessment and extent of core, such that part-time care (relative to full-time care) was associated with insecurity among those assessed at older ages and with security among those assessed at younger ages.