The development of attachment in new relationships: Single subject analyses for 10 foster infants

This paper presents single-subject analyses of newly developing attachment relationships in 10 foster infant-caregiver dyads. Using a diary methodolog y, at least 2 months of daily data were provided by foster parents on infan ts' attachment behaviors. Foster infant attachment was also assessed using the Strange Situation. Foster mother state of mind regarding attachment was measured using the Adult Attachment Interview. For eight infants, diary da ta revealed predominant patterns of attachment behavior emerging within 2 m onths of placement. In most cases, diary data predicted Strange Situation c lassifications. Both Strange Situation and diary data indicated that the th ree children placed in foster care before 12 months of age with foster pare nts having primary or secondary autonomous states of mind were classified a s having secure attachments. The five children placed after 12 months of ag e showed predominantly insecure attachment behavior in the diary and were c lassified as insecure in the Strange Situation. Contingency analyses of beh avioral sequences reported in the diary revealed that foster parents tended to complement their foster childrens' attachment behaviors.