Control and connection
Associations between maternal behavioral control and toddler attachment patterns
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7802764 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nour M Zaki (0000-0002-3426-3410, Department of Psychology American University in Cairo Cairo Egypt, corresponding author), Maya A Shehata (0009-0009-4271-2907, Department of Psychology American University in Cairo Cairo Egypt) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | e70066-e70066 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Infant Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0163-9641 • E-ISSN: 1097-0355 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/imhj.70066 |
| PMID | 41499271 |
| OpenAlex | W7118354806 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
This study examines the association between the level of maternal behavioral control and toddlers’ attachment patterns, focusing on toddlers aged 12–24 months ( M = 17.18 months, SD = 3.31). The sample consisted of 60 Egyptian mother‐child dyads. Maternal behavioral control—conceptualized within the framework of Interpersonal acceptance‐rejection theory (IPARTheory)—was measured using the behavioral control scale, while toddlers’ attachment patterns were assessed using Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). Results revealed significant differences in maternal behavioral control levels in toddlers with secure and insecure attachment patterns. Specifically, higher levels of maternal behavioral control were associated with insecure‐resistant attachment patterns, whereas lower levels of behavioral control were associated with secure attachment patterns. No significant difference emerged between maternal behavioral control levels in toddlers with secure and avoidant attachment patterns. The findings speak to the effects of behavioral control on toddlers’ perceptions of danger and, thus, their internal working models of the world and resulting attachment patterns. Study limitations and future directions of research are discussed
Attachment theory · Behavioral inhibition · Interpersonal communication · Perception · Self-control · Toddler · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Patterns of Attachment
The relationship between child-report, parent self-report, and partner report of perceived parental rearing behaviors and anxiety in children and parents
Parental Psychological Control
Perceived Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Parental Control among Korean Adolescents
Effects of Preschool Parents' Power Assertive Patterns and Practices on Adolescent Development
The Influence of Parenting Style on Adolescent Competence and Substance Use
Bridging attachment theory and interpersonal acceptance‐rejection theory in the strange situation procedure in a low‐risk sample in Egypt
Social norms and authoritarianism
Lessons from Erikson
Ainsworth's Strange Situation Procedure
Parenting Styles, Individuation, and Mental Health of Arab Adolescents
Reliability and Validity of the Parental Control Scale
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |