Association between parents’ sense of family belonging and parent–infant attachment: Implications for early family relationships

Esma TosunEsma Tosun, Serap Temiz

Abstract

This cross-sectional correlational study examined the association between parents’ sense of family belonging and parent–infant attachment. Data were collected from 422 mothers and 422 fathers using a survey form, the Maternal Attachment Scale, the Father–Infant Attachment Scale, and the Family Belonging Scale. The mean Maternal Attachment Scale score among mothers was 97.84 ± 7.78, and the mean total score on the Father–Infant Attachment Scale among fathers was 70.40 ± 11.30. Mean total scores on the Family Belonging Scale did not differ significantly between mothers and fathers. Family belonging was positively and significantly correlated with both maternal attachment and father–infant attachment. Moderation analysis indicated that father–infant attachment moderated the relationship between mothers’ family belonging and maternal attachment. Overall, these findings suggest that both mothers’ and fathers’ sense of belonging is an important factor in parent–infant attachment.

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References

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