Mother-child attachment patterns in mothers with and without a history of adverse childhood experiences

Abstract

According to attachment theory, infants establish an attachment bond that gives them confidence and comfort, and the figure of attachment forms a secure basis for the infant. A history of abuse and neglect in the mother can affect her style of attachment to her infant. The aim in the present study is to investigate mother-child attachment patterns in mothers with and without a history of abuse. Of the 94 mothers, 50% had a childhood history of abuse, and of these 47 mothers, 61.7% had experienced physical abuse, 53.19% had experienced emotional abuse, 29.78% had experienced negligence and 6.38% had experienced sexual abuse. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with and without a history of abuse in this regard. When the attachment patterns of the mothers in the two groups with their own mothers were evaluated, there was a significant difference in terms of their attachment patterns with their fathers. Although no significant relationship was observed between the history of abuse and attachment pattern, mothers with a history of abuse in childhood exhibited an insecure attachment. Education level can be a protective factor in establishing an attachment pattern, while intergenerational interactions can be suggested to affect attachment patterns.