Psychology (Ding et al. - Attachment) Flashcards
Ding et al. AIM
To investigate the relation of mother-infant attachment to attachment, cognitive and behavioural development in young children.
Ding et al. SAMPLE
160 infant mother dyads (two opposite subjects e.g wife and husband - in this case a mother and her child).
Recruited from April 2007 to December 2008 in Shanghai through the child health care network.
Without any acute or chronic diseases
Average age 18 months
82 boys 78 girls
Average age of mothers was 28.9
Ding et al. PROCEDURE
The mothers attachment was assessed by the SSP during the first visit to identify the attachment types. After the assessment, the infants were tested again when they were approximately 3 years old.
A Q-set was employed to evaluate the attachment between young children and their mothers.
Longitudinal Study - checking up on them after a period of time / (Cross-sectional - 1 sample with 18 months old children and a 2 sample of 2 to 3 year olds and compare - contrast them.)
An investigation of behavioural problems for 2 to 3 year olds (Child behaviour checklist by Achenbach) and an evaluation of the cognitive developmental level in early childhood (Bayleys scale of infant development-second edition) was employed.
They have employed these scales as they have been tested in other studies and were shown to be reliable
Ding et al. FINDINGS
78 secure attachment type, 40 insecure attachment type (including 10 avoidant, 27 resistant and 3 with disorganised type).
The 42 who missed the follow up were 31 secure, 2 avoidant, 8 resistant and 1 disorganized attachment type.
Out of the follow up, (where 74% of the original sample participated) 70 were securely attached (59 % of the original sample) and 89.7 % were still secure and 10.3 unsecure after. 40 were insecurely attached (41% of the original sample) and 85% were still insecure and 15% were secure.
No significant difference in the attachment-type distribution in infancy was found between the followed-up young children and those missed.
Ding et al. Conclusions
There is a high level of consistency in attachment types distributed from infancy to early childhood.
Secure attachment evidently led to a better predicted cognitive and behavioural outcome. - Insecure attachment however (especially resistant attachment), was shown to lead to a lower cognitive level and greater behavioural problems in early childhood.
Ding et al. STRENGTHS
It is ethical because it was approved by the institutions research ethics committee and parents gave informed consent (as children cannot cognitively make the right decisions for themselves at the age they are being tested at + there is a guideline that only children from 16 year old and onwards can give informed consent themselves)
It is reliable because they have used consistently tested scales to investigate attachment, cognitive development and behavioural factors. (Child behaviour checklist by Achenbach) and an evaluation of the cognitive developmental level in early childhood (Bayleys scale of infant development-second edition). It is reproducible because it uses a standardised procedure from the SSP.
It is useful for parents as it has been concluded that in general, secure attachment led to a better predicted cognitive and behavioural outcome. Which will be very beneficial for mothers to know and ensure that their child is securely attached. However it might make it difficult in terms of ethics as parents whose child is insecurely attached, could potentially feel insecure about themselves and their parenting, not having a positive mindset but declining one.
Ding et al. WEAKNESSES
It is not generalizable because it was conducted in China with Chinese parents’ attitude towards children, 1 child policy and in general China’s cultural differences (them being a collectivist nation). This will make it inherently different to generalize it to other countries that have different attitudes and cultural beliefs to China.
It is not ecologically valid because they have used a full set of the SSP (which was done in an artificial setting which is not always representative of an individuals behaviour in real life). It was also done in an artificial environment not natural to them (the fact that it was done in an institution).
The low-risk, normative nature of the sample and relatively small sample size considering its a study based in China, led to a relatively small number of insecure attachment types. After the follow up, only 74% of the original sample continued which makes it less representative as it was before.
