LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF MOTHERS AND FATHERS RESPONSES ON THE MATERNAL SEPARATION ANXIETY SCALE

Mothers' and fathers' responses on the Maternal Separation Anxiety Sca le (MSAS) were compared and parental characteristics were investigated for their ability to predict the parents' responses on this scale. Th e relation between the parents' responses on the MSAS and the attachme nt Q-sort also was assessed. Seventy mothers and lathers completed the MSAS twice, once when their infants were age 6 months and again when their infants were age 18 months. Parents completed the attachment Q-s ort at 18 months. Mothers reported greater separation anxiety, a more positive perception of separation effects, and greater employment-rela ted separation concern than did fathers. The pattern of the relation b etween parental characteristics and responses on the MSAS differed for mothers and fathers. No relation was found between the parents' respo nses on the MSAS and the attachment Q-sort.