[The development of attachment according to the temperament of the newborn].

Abstract

What is the relation between infant temperament and the quality of attachment to the mother at one year? A longitudinal study found that irritable babies develop an anxious attachment at one year. However, the study of the mother-infant interactions showed that temperament at birth influences the mother's attitude, in the sense that she became less sensitive. This in turn may explain the child's anxious attachment. During a second study, interventions were made with the aim to heighten the maternal sensitivity. When compared to a control group, mothers of the first group became more sensitive, and their child developed a more secure attachment. These results lead to two theoretical questions. Is temperament stable? Can the mother's attitude, which shows through her interactions, modify the child's temperament? In this case, temperament should be considered, not as a fixed characteristic, but as the emotional organization which can be influenced by the environment.