Lyndsey Craig, Christy Fiscer, RonJai Staton, Michelle Hammon, Deborah Decker, Tina Boren,
Justin Nuckels, and Zac Olson, Dixie State University
Humanities
A mother’s attachment representation may be important for her experience of pregnancy and interactions with her infant after birth. Specifically, insecure attachment representations may increase the risk of stress during pregnancy, and stress during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the child’s health and well-being. Women who gave birth in Washington County, Utah between 2009 and 2011 volunteered to participate in a study of attachment representations, pregnancy experience, birth experience, and child development. The results of this study are expected to indicate mothers’ adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance, and her prenatal attachment is negatively associated with her assessment of her pregnancy and birth experience. We expect to find a positive association between mothers’ adult romantic and prenatal attachment representations, and her attachment representations with her child. These results could indicate a need in the Washington County area for more education on the importance of attachment to improve the pregnancy experience, and promote mental health and well-being in mothers and their young children.