Specificity of a Mother’s Attachment to Her Child Using the Attachment Inventory and Factors Related to Attachment: Longitudinal Research from Prenatal to Age Three

The subjects of this longitudinal study were 83 mothers, who responded to
questionnaires during the following five phases of their child’s life: the fetal, neonatal, and one-, two-, and threeyear-old phases. Using the Prenatal and Maternal Attachment Inventory, this study highlights items related to
groups of mothers with high and low attachment to their children. Attachment is related both to maternal
attitudes toward the child and to her own anxiety level. Attachment difficulties are first revealed in the prenatal
period. The strength of a mother’s attachment to her child strongly affects present and future relationships with
that child.