ATTACHMENT CONCERNS OF MOTHERS AS MANIFESTED IN PARENTAL, SPOUSAL, AND FRIENDSHIP RELATIONSHIPS

The present study examined the relation between attachment concerns of mothers and three of their close relationships: with their husband, b est woman friend, and infant. Forty-five mothers completed an Attachme nt Concerns Questionnaire based on the Hazan and Shaver attachment mea sure, and the Sharabany Intimacy scale regarding their relationships w ith their husband and with their same-sex best friend; they were also observed with their infants (aged 14 to 22 months) in the Ainsworth St range Situation procedure. Mothers' attachment concerns were significa ntly correlated both to their infants' attachment classifications and to reunion scores in the Strange Situation procedure (e.g., concern wi th closeness was positively correlated with avoidance; fear of abandon ment was positively correlated with avoidance and resistance). Intimac y with husband and best woman friend were also correlated with mothers ' attachment concerns (e.g., concern with closeness was negatively cor related with intimacy with the husband and fear of abandonment was neg atively correlated with intimacy with the best friend). The findings a re discussed in terms of the concept of an internal working model of a ttachment, and, in light of the similarity and the modular hypotheses regarding the nature of relationships and concordance among relationsh ips.