Attachment Style and Mental Health: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study of Mothers of Infants with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

The longitudinal contribution of attachment style to mental health was examined among mothers of infants with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Eighty-five mothers of newborns with CHD completed self-report scales tapping attachment style, appraisal of motherhood, ways of coping with motherhood tasks, and mental health 2 weeks after the infant’s CHD diagnosis and 1 year later. Mothers’ attachment anxiety and avoidance at Time 1 were related to poor mental health at the same point of time. In addition, attachment avoidance at Time 1 predicted further deterioration of mental health from Time 1 to Time 2. Attachment style at Time 1 also predicted the ways mothers appraised and coped with motherhood tasks, which, in turn, were related to mental health changes. The theoretical implications of the data were discussed.