PATTERNS OF MOTHER-INFANT INTERACTION AND ATTACHMENT - A CLUSTER-ANALYTIC APPROACH

This study examined stability and change in patterns of mother-infant interaction between 5 and 10 months and their relation to attachment s ecurity at 18 months. Cluster analysis was used to identify patterns o f dyadic interaction. There was significant, but not substantial, stab ility in duster membership from 5 to 10 months. For females, being in the most optimal cluster at 5 months related to subsequent attachment security, regardless of the 10-month pattern of interaction. For males , who were significantly more likely to be insecure than females, inse cure attachment was predicted by negative change from 5 to 10 months ( moving from a more optimal to a less optimal cluster).