1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« The purpose of this study is to focus on such similarities and differences between maternal and observer AQS ratings in a single longitudinal study. » (p. 11)

Questions/Hypothèses :
« As such, we ask the following questions :
(1) What is the degree of convergence between maternal and observer AQS scores?
(2) Are there dimensions of the environments, families, mothers or infants that may systematically account for commonvariance between the two sets of ratings?
(3) Are there dimensions of environments, families, mothers or infants that might account for divergence? » (p. 12)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
« Complete data were available for 127 dyads, currently described. Participants were recruited from two distinct subgroups : (1) low risk, adult mothers older than 20 years at the birth of the infant (n = 44); and (2) high-risk adolescent mothers, aged 20 years or less at the birth of the infant (n = 83). Mothers were recruited [in] two major birthing hospitals of a small [...] in the province of Québec [...] » (p. 13)

Instruments :
- The « Attachment Behavior Q-Set (AQS;Waters, 1995) »;
- the « Maternal Behavior Q-Set (MBQS; Pederson & Moran, 1995) »;
- the « infant characteristics questionnaire (ICQ; Bates, Freeland, & Lounsbury, 1979) »;
- the « Parenting stress index (PSI – short form; Abidin, 1995) ». (pp. 14-15)

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« With the advent of the Attachment Behavior Q-Set (AQS; Waters & Deane, 1985; Waters, 1995), attachment researchers have been provided with a unique assessment method that enables them to qualify attachment on a continuum of security-relevant infant behaviors in settings that provide the context for the development of the parent–infant relationship. [...] In the current study, we consider four ecological variables as possible correlates of convergence and divergence: maternal sensitivity, infant temperament, parental stress, psychosocial risk. By examining the possibility that these ecological characteristics are systematically linked to convergence and divergence in maternal and observer AQS ratings, we hope to gain a clearer understanding of the type of information that each assessment contains. [...] The results underline what has often been shown in other reports that have examined the convergence between maternal and observer AQS ratings, namely that the maternal AQS security score is moderately associated to independent observer AQS ratings. The correlation that is presently observed is in line with that documented in other studies. In fact, maternal AQS ratings represent the strongest association of any variable in this study with observer AQS ratings. As in other studies that have reported such convergence, the current data suggests that mothers and observers converge regarding naturalistic observations of attachment secure-base behaviour to a moderate degree and that both mothers and observers may be providing important information about the developing relationship. The data also suggest the presence of differences in the way that mothers and observers see the mother–infant attachment relationship. » (pp. 10; 18)