Attachment theory holds that there exists a caregiving behavioural system underpinning the manner in which we provide care and support to close significant others. Evidence for this is found in caregiving for partner in romantic relationships (Feeney & Collins, 2004) and in caregiving for infants (George and Solomon, 1999). Researchers have also found that attachment styles are predictive of parenting (Rholes, Simpson, & Blakely, 1995). However, no attempts have been made to see how caregiving styles across different relational contexts are related, or indeed whether caregiving mediates the link between attachment and parenting. This study examined attachment and caregiving as predictors of parenting styles, both independently and in mediational models, with data from 125 couples with children aged 7-8. Participants were accessed via their children's schools and completed questionnaires. Data were analysed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (dyadic analysis). Findings indicated that both actor and partner attachment predicted caregiving, with lower levels of both avoidance and anxiety being associated with more positive caregiving patterns. Parenting styles were predicted by attachment styles both directly and indirectly, with caregiving variables partially mediating the link between attachment and parenting. Mothers and fathers' authoritative (optimal) parenting was negatively predicted by both avoidance and anxiety directly, but also indirectly via caregiving sensitivity (all parents), cooperation (fathers), and proximity (mothers). Models for authoritarian and permissive (less optimal) parenting styles are also reported. Findings are discussed with reference to the caregiving behavioural system, attachment theory, and gender differences in caregiving.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:446145 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Millings, Abigail Kyla |
| Publisher | University of East Anglia |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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