Adult attachment classification and foster mothers\u27 perceptions of their relationship with their at-risk foster children

This study examined associations between foster mothers\u27 state of mind in regards to attachment (as measured by the Adult Attachment Projective [AAP]) and foster mothers\u27 descriptions of their foster children (as measured by the Parent Development Interview [PDI]) for 37 foster mothers. Sixteen foster mothers were classified as secure-autonomous while twenty-one were classified as insecure in regards to attachment. Approximately sixty percent of the insecure foster mothers were classified as unresolved with regards to attachment. It was hypothesized that there would be differences between secure and insecure foster mothers on the 13 PDI subscale scores. Results indicated that the two groups (secure and insecure foster mothers) differed significantly on 7 constructs in the PDI; namely pleasure, business of caregiving, achievement, comfort/safe haven, perspective taking, enmeshment, pleasure and pain. Findings suggest foster mothers\u27 attachment status is related to their representations of their foster children. The distributions of attachment classifications in the current study are consistent with those found in other studies and suggest that foster mothers are unresolved in regards to attachment. It is suggested that focus should be on further research and the development of intervention programs related to quality foster parenting. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed