Secure base processes in couples: Daily associations between support experiences and attachment security.

The authors examined secure base functioning in couples by studying the association between daily social support experiences and attachment security in a 14-day daily experiences study of 114 heterosexual dating couples. Both members of each couple reported on daily relationship-specific attachment security and support sought, provided, and received, as well as felt support. Within- and cross-partner associations were examined, as were reciprocal associations between support and security. Results of over-time Actor-Partner Interdependence Model analyses indicated that security (in the form of high comfort with intimacy and low anxiety about abandonment) was associated with the most adaptive support experiences, whereas high anxiety about abandonment was associated with the least, and particularly with a lack of sensitive caregiving. Implications for understanding secure base dynamics in couples are discussed and guidelines for where to intervene as well as what to target in relationship distress prevention programs are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in defining and assessing features of attachment figures: Reply to Kobak (2009).

This reply to Kobak’s (see record 2009-12106-002) comments on my article (see record 2009-12106-001) on dogs as attachment figures addresses three issues in defining and assessing features of attachment figures. These include whether some features are more critical than other features, different ways of assessing safe haven as a critical feature of an attachment figure, and whether attachment hierarchies are necessary to identify figures who fulfill the feature of safe haven. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of the Caregiver Empowerment Scale: A resource for working with family caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To use multitrait analysis to determine the measurement structure of the Caregiver Empowerment Scale (CES). Participants: An American sample of 87 adult primary family caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Results: A four-factor structure was identified including factor 1 (Advocacy Self-Efficacy), factor 2 (Community Self-Efficacy), factor 3 (Caregiver Self-Efficacy), and factor 4 (Personal Self-Efficacy). Conclusions: The CES provides clinicians and researchers a means to assess self-perceived coping abilities of family caregivers of persons with TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working models of attachment and reactions to different forms of caregiving from romantic partners.

Inspired by attachment theory, the authors tested a series of theoretically derived predictions about connections between attachment working models (attachment to one's parents assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview; M. Main & R. Goldwyn, 1994) and the effectiveness of specific types of caregiving spontaneously displayed by dating partners during a stressful conflict-resolution discussion. Each partner first completed the Adult Attachment Interview. One week later, each couple was videotaped while they tried to resolve a current problem in their relationship. Trained observers then rated each interaction for the degree to which (a) emotional, instrumental, and physical caregiving behaviors were displayed; (b) care recipients appeared calmed by their partners' caregiving attempts; and (c) each partner appeared distressed during the discussion. Individuals who had more secure representations of their parents were rated as being more calmed if/when their partners provided greater emotional care, especially if they were rated as more distressed. Conversely, individuals who had more insecure (dismissive) representations of their parents reacted more favorably to instrumental caregiving behaviors from their partners, especially if they were more distressed. The broader theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal analysis of midlife generativity, intergenerational roles, and caregiving.

Items from California Adult Q-Sort (CAQ) were used to assess psychosocial generativity (E. H. Erikson, 1950) in a sample of educated women at midlife. CAQ scores measured at age 43 demonstrated convergent validity with an inventory measure of generativity assessed at age 53. According to other longitudinal analyses, women who attained a generative stance at age 43 reported greater investment 10 years later in intergenerational roles (e.g. daughter, mother) but not nonintergenerational ones (e.g. friend, sister). Generative women also reported less subjective burden in caring for aging parents and more knowledge about community elder care programs. Further evidence suggests that participants felt embedded in a reciprocal caregiving network in which they themselves are recipients of care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A dimensional approach to maternal attachment state of mind: Relations to maternal sensitivity and maternal autonomy support.

The aim of this study was to examine the developmental significance of the newly developed dimensional approach to attachment state of mind by investigating its capacity to predict individual differences in the quality of two caregiving behaviors—maternal sensitivity and maternal autonomy support—that are linked to numerous important child outcomes. Seventy-one upper-middle-class, predominantly French-speaking and Caucasian dyads participated in 3 home visits (34 girls). The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) was administered when the infants were 8 months old, maternal sensitivity was assessed when they were 12 months old, and maternal autonomy support was assessed at 15 months. The results revealed that, above and beyond SES, maternal sensitivity was negatively related to the dismissing dimension of the AAI, whereas maternal autonomy support was negatively linked to the preoccupied/unresolved dimension. In contrast, the traditional AAI categories were not significantly linked to parenting. These results speak to the relevance of using a continuous approach to attachment state of mind when predicting individual differences in specific caregiving behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term caregiving: What happens when it ends?

Data from a longitudinal study were used to examine what happens to caregivers in the years after their cognitively impaired spouse dies. Comparisons of 42 current caregivers, 49 former caregivers, and 52 noncaregivers over a 4-year period showed that former caregivers did not improve on several measures of psychological well-being. Although former caregivers experienced decreases in stress and negative affect, their scores on depression, loneliness, and positive affect did not rebound to levels comparable to noncaregivers and, in fact, remained similar to those of current caregivers up to 3 years after caregiving had ceased. The most consistent predictors of postcaregiving outcomes were social support and intrusive–avoidant thinking about caregiving. The data suggest that some consequences of long-term caregiving may be long-term as well. The needs of former spousal caregivers warrant greater attention both in research and in practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental beliefs, infant temperament, and marital quality: Associations with infant–mother and infant–father attachment.

The present research examined parental beliefs about the importance of the paternal caregiving role, mothers’ and fathers’ reports of infant temperament, and observed marital quality as predictors of infant–mother and infant–father attachment security, over and above the effects of parental sensitivity. Infants’ attachment security to mothers and fathers were observed in the Strange Situation at 12 and 13 months, respectively (N = 62 two-parent families). Hierarchical regression models revealed that mothers who viewed the paternal caregiving role as important were less likely to have securely attached infants, but only when infant fussiness was high. In addition, fathers who viewed the paternal caregiving role as important were more likely to have securely attached infants, but only when infants’ fussiness or marital quality was high. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Caregiving for children and adults with chronic conditions: introduction to the special issue

The purpose of this study was to compare the value of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fat suppression in detecting a pancreatic tumor. The subjects were 19 patients with invasive ductal adenocarcinoma and six patients with islet cell tumor where diagnosis was established pathologically. Breath-hold gradient echo images, breath-hold gradient echo images with fat suppression and breath-hold gradient echo images with dynamic enhancement at 1.5 T were obtained for all patients. The efficacies of these three imaging techniques were compared by calculating the contrast-to-noise ratio, as indicative of conspicuousness between a tumor-affected and a normal pancreas. As for adenocarcinoma, our results indicated that the usefulness in detecting the tumor was high, decreasing in the order dynamic contrast images > fat suppression images > plain images, and that the difference between any two of these three types of image was statistically significant. On the other hand, these imaging techniques showed no statistically significant difference in detecting islet cell tumors. In conclusion, dynamic MRI is the best method for detecting pancreatic adenocarcinoma. As the fat suppression technique has the advantage of being non-invasive, this method is suitable for screening studies of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. However, no advantage was recognized in using the fat suppression technique for detecting an islet cell tumor in comparison with plain MRI.     

The longitudinal ramifications of stroke caregiving: A systematic review.

Family members assume considerable care responsibilities for relatives suffering from stroke. Although a number of quantitative and qualitative studies examine the emotional and psychological ramifications of stroke caregiving, no recent review has considered the longitudinal implications of family stroke care. The goal of this systematic review was to determine whether duration of family care is a significant predictor of stroke caregiving outcomes and if stroke caregiving outcomes change over time. PsycINFO (1950 to 2009), MEDLINE (1966 to 2009), and CINAHL (1982 to 2009) databases were searched to identify relevant research articles. Reference lists of selected articles were also hand searched. Of 1,188 studies identified, 117 were selected for review based on eligibility criteria. Synthesized results found that duration of care did not emerge as a significant predictor of stroke caregiving outcomes in most cross-sectional quantitative studies. Caregiver stress, depression, and subjective health measures did not tend to demonstrate significant change in longitudinal quantitative studies (although some studies did indicate increases and/or decreases in well-being over time). Qualitative studies describe a more dynamic stroke caregiving process. The results of this review emphasize the need to apply more rigorous research approaches, appropriate theories, and mixed-method designs to advance the state-of-the-art. Such improvements will provide practitioners with stronger evidence to guide the development, targeting, and timing of clinical interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)