Patterns of Very Insecure Attachment Found in Samples of High-Risk Infants and Toddlers

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Abstract
Recent studies in which the Ainsworth Strange Situation (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978) assessment of attachment security was used with high-social-risk infants and toddlers have reported observing patterns of response that do not fit the Ainsworth A-B-C classification system. These “D” or “A/C” infants came from very problematic childrearing environments. Data on 44 insecurely attached 13-month olds from a high-social-risk sample are presented; these data are in agreement with the general findings of these other studies. The families of the 13 A/C infants were experiencing significantly more difficult life circumstances, more illness symptoms, and less social support as compared to the families of the 33 infants who received other insecure classifications. Implications of attachment research for services provided to handicapped children and families are discussed.

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