Challenges related to migration and child attachment: A pilot study with South Asian immigrant mother-child dyads.
This pilot study examined psychological, social and cultural risk factors for child insecure attachment in a sample of South Asian immigrant families experiencing high migration stress in Montreal, Canada. Thirty-three participants were recruited through a local Health and Social Service organization. Maternal anxiety and depression, social support, and national and religious sense of belonging were assessed. Child attachment behaviors were coded from a 15 min free play period. Results indicated that maternal depressive symptoms were related to lower child attachment security scores. Lower support from friends was related to greater child ambivalent attachment behaviors. A higher sense of belonging to the country of origin was related to greater child disorganized attachment behaviors. These findings suggest that migration stresses, which include maternal depression, lack of social support and the sense of belonging, are associated with child attachment, and these variables should be considered in the design of appropriate interventions.
['Lecompte|Vanessa|V|', 'Miconi|Diana|D|', 'Rousseau|Cécile|C|']
D001007:Anxiety D001211:Asia, Western D002170:Canada D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D003863:Depression D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D008297:Male D008603:Mental Health D009034:Mother-Child Relations D009035:Mothers D009769:Object Attachment D010865:Pilot Projects D012067:Religion D012307:Risk Factors D012944:Social Support D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D013315:Stress, Psychological
attachment immigration social support sense of belonging Maternal mental health