Collaborative Research: Caregiver-Child Proximity and Attachment Security

儿童与父母/照顾者之间的依恋关系的质量对他们的整体幸福感和未来的关系有深远的影响。以前的研究强调了照顾者敏感性(例如，响应性和抚养性关怀)在培养安全的依恋关系中的重要性。然而，定期密切接触，支持儿童探索，欢迎儿童返回，对于发展安全的依恋可能同样重要。为了进一步探索这一点，我们开发了一种名为TotTag的可穿戴设备，可以测量儿童在日常生活中与他们的照顾者之间的物理距离。在这个项目中，我们的目标是研究日常照顾者和儿童之间的互动是如何与依恋安全相关的。通过将照顾者和儿童的身体接近程度与照顾者敏感度相结合，我们试图确定在建立安全依恋关系方面最有影响力的因素。此外，这项研究对有年幼子女的家庭的日常生活提供了有价值的见解，提供了对家庭内部和家庭之间联系模式的更深层次的理解。该项目的发现有可能促进心理学和发展科学方面的知识，并为儿童和家庭的干预和支持努力提供信息。此外，基础知识还可以为第一次为人父母的父母提供一个研讨会，为他们提供关于儿童发展和照看行为的基本知识，以促进健康的关系。本研究旨在研究婴儿与其父母/照顾者之间的关系中照顾者与儿童的身体接近与依恋安全感之间的关系。为了实现这些目标，研究小组采用了一种混合方法，将自然观察与基于实验室的评估相结合。考虑到定期近距离接触、支持儿童探索以及欢迎儿童回归的理论重要性，该项目利用名为TotTag的可穿戴设备，在一整周的时间里，以秒为单位测量儿童与其照顾者在日常生活中身体接近的模式。本研究项目的目的是考察日常照顾者与儿童之间的互动与依恋安全之间的关系，并探索安全依恋关系的特征因素。具体地说，我们测试了与照顾者敏感度相比，在物理上接近的时间是否更好地解释了给定亲子二元组内的依恋安全性，以及亲密度和敏感度的潜在交互作用。通过从有年幼子女的家庭中收集不同样本的数据，这项研究旨在为这些家庭的日常生活以及家庭内部和家庭之间的联系模式提供有价值的见解。这一研究项目的成果有可能为儿童和家庭的干预和支持工作提供信息，有助于制定有效的预防和干预战略。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The quality of the attachment relationship between children and their parents/caregivers has a profound impact on their overall well-being and future relationships. Previous research has emphasized the importance of caregiver sensitivity (e.g., responsive and nurturing care) in fostering secure attachment relationships. However, regular close contact, support of child exploration, and welcoming the child’s return may be equally significant for the development of a secure attachments. To explore this further, we have developed wearable devices called TotTags that measure the physical proximity between children and their caregivers in their everyday lives. In this project, we aim to examine how everyday caregiver–child interactions are associated with attachment security. By combining measures of caregiver and child physical proximity with caregiver sensitivity, we seek to determine the factors that are most influential in establishing secure attachment relationships. Additionally, this study offers valuable insights into the daily lives of families with young children, providing a deeper understanding of contact patterns within and across families. The findings from this project have the potential to advance knowledge in psychology and developmental science, as well as inform interventions and support efforts for children and families. Furthermore, the foundation knowledge can contribute to a workshop for first-time parents, providing them with essential knowledge about child development and caregiving behaviors to promote healthy relationships.This research project aims to study the relationship between caregiver–child physical proximity and attachment security in the relationships between infants and their parents/caregivers. To achieve these goals, the research team employs a mixed-methods approach, combining naturalistic observations with laboratory-based assessments. Given the theorized importance of regular close contact, support of child exploration, and welcoming the child's return, the project utilizes wearable devices called TotTags to measure patterns of physical proximity, on a second-by-second level, between children and their caregivers in their everyday lives across one full week. The goals of this research project are to examine how everyday caregiver–child interactions are associated with attachment security and to explore the factors that characterize secure attachment relationships. Specifically, we test whether time in close physical proximity, compared to caregiver sensitivity, better explains attachment security within a given parent–child dyad, as well as the potential interaction of proximity and sensitivity. By collecting data from a diverse sample of families with young children, the study aims to provide valuable insights into the daily lives of these families and the patterns of contact within and across families. The outcomes of this research project have the potential to inform interventions and support efforts for children and families, contributing to the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.