TRANSGENERATIONAL EFFECT OF ATTACHMENT - What was I given as a child, what do I share with my partner and what do I give to my newborn?

Abstract

Attachment theory describes functioning through internalworking models that guide expectations and behaviours in the relationships. Our aim was toanalyzetransgenerational effect of attachment. We also wanted to map the attachment with respect tobonding and remembered attachment. Our sample consisted of 100 participants (26menand 74women)between 21 and 46 yearsfrom non-clinical populationthat were shortly postpartum. They filled 3 self-administered questionnaires: Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran-short form(My memories of upbringing, sEMBU), The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R), and The Mother-Infant Bonding Questionnaire (MIBQ). Emotional warmth shown by mother had prediction power to attachment in close relationship (avoidance in 9% and anxiety in 5%) which inturns correlated with the wish for physical contact with own infant (desire to touch or hold the infant). Furthermore, emotional warmth together with rejection by mother were predictors of acceptance of own parent ́s role in bonding in 8% and 5% respectively. We see several limits among which self-reported instruments, new questionnaire MIBQ, age range and smaller sample of men. Nevertheless, we consider our research to be important in slightly clarifying an importance of remembered emotional warmth of mother in functioning in actual relationships (attachmentavoidance and anxiety) and in bonding (acceptance of own parent ́s role).