E. Berant et al., Attachment style and mental health: A 1-year follow-up study of mothers ofinfants with congenital heart disease, PERS SOC PS, 27(8), 2001, pp. 956-968
The longitudinal contribution of attachment style to mental health was exam
ined among mothers of infants with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Eighty-f
ive mothers of newborns with CHD completed self-report scales tapping attac
hment style, appraisal of motherhood, ways of coping with motherhood tasks,
and mental health 2 weeks after the infant's CHD diagnosis and 1 year late
r Mothers' attachment anxiety and avoidance at Time 1 were related to poor
mental health at the same point of lime. In addition, attachment avoidance
at Time 1 predicted further deterioration of mental health from Time 1 to T
ime 2. Attachment style at Time 1 also predicted the ways mothers appraised
and coped with motherhood tasks, which, in turn, were related to mental he
alth changes. The theoretical implications of the data were discussed.