Dunbar,
Arlene (5/10) Conditions of early maternal separation and later adult
functioning in a Caribbean population (Rhiannon Allen, Ph.D.; Elizabeth
Kudadjie, Ph.D.; Kevin Meehan, Ph.D.)
Attachment theory proposes that early
maternal separation results in attachment deficit, although there are
intermittent indications throughout the literature that there are protective
conditions of maternal separation. The present study investigated the specific
early conditions of maternal separation that are protective for attachment
security and hope/resilience. A sample of 178 adults-113 (59%) Caribbean
immigrants and 73 (41%) Caribbean Americans with a history of early maternal
separation took part in the study. Participants completed a demographic
questionnaire, and seven self-report questionnaires: parental care (PBI,
Parker, Tupling & Brown, 1979), parental abuse (MOPS, Parker, Roussos,
Hadzi-Pavlovic, Mitchell, Wilhem & Austin, 1997), conditions of maternal
separation (CMSS, Dunbar, 2008), hope/resilience (Snyder, et al., 1996),
attachment (RSQ, Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), other attachment related events
(ARE, Ritzier & Dunbar, 2008), Reason for separation (Dunbar, 2008).
The conditions of maternal separation
scale (CMSS) operationalized conditions of maternal separation variables,
according to theory. Scores on the CMSS were computed using a one-factor
solution, a six-factor solution and a low, moderate, high grouping to determine
protective and non-protective features of early maternal separation.
Secure attachment was significantly
associated with positive conditions of maternal separation. The six-factor
solution of the CMSS showed more specifically that protective features of
maternal separation were marginally related to open communication and support.
Fearful attachment was significantly predicted by low care and negative
conditions of maternal separation. The six- factor solution of the CMSS
sub-scales showed that a lack of open communication and lack of support
contributed to fearful attachment.
Attachment was also significantly related
to resilience for both secure and preoccupied attachments. The more secure the
attachment style, the higher the hope/resilient score; the more preoccupied the
attachment style, the lower the hope/resilient score. Older participants were
more secure in their attachment styles than younger participants who were significantly
more fearful in attachment. Other attachment related events also significantly
predicted attachment security.
Resilience was significantly predicted by
more positive conditions of maternal separation and greater care. The CMSS six
factor solution sub-scales showed that Improvement significantly protected
resilience and a lack of alienation marginally predicted hope/resilience.
Overprotection significantly predicted lessened resilience.
Significant differences were found for
Resilience in the three CMSS groups (High, Moderate and Low). Participants in
the high CMSS group had the highest resilience scores which were significantly
different from participants in the Low and Moderate CMSS groups. Participants
in the high CMSS group were significantly more secure in their attachment than
participants in the Low CMSS group. Participants in the Low and Moderate CMSS
groups were significantly more preoccupied in their attachment than
participants in the High CMSS group. Similar results were found for Fearful
attachment, but revealed a significant difference among all three groups.
There were some subtle differences between
Caribbean Americans and Caribbean immigrants. Resilience in Caribbean
immigrants tended to be more negatively affected by overprotection than
Caribbean Americans. Caribbean immigrants tended to be more resilient if they
were more secure in their attachment, but for Caribbean Americans there was no
relationship between resilience and secure attachment.
