Maternal Sensitivity Predicts Child Attachment in a Non-Western Context: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study of Chinese Families

Despite the long-standing debate over the assumed universality of maternal sensitivity predicting attachment security (i.e., sensitivity hypothesis), few long-term longitudinal investigations on attachment have been conducted outside the Western context. We leveraged data from a prospective 9-year longitudinal study of middle-class families (N = 356; female = 48.9%) in China to examine if early maternal sensitivity predicts attachment representations in middle childhood. Maternal sensitivity was assessed from lab-based observed interactions at 14 and 24 months. At 10 years old, children completed the Chinese version of the Attachment Script Assessment. Maternal sensitivity positively predicted the child's attachment representations at age 10 years (β = 0.20, p < 0.01). These results supported the view that maternal sensitivity is prospectively related to secure attachment across cultures.

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Publication Details

Journal
Child Development
Published
2025-05-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14256
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.44

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article

Maternal Sensitivity Predicts Child Attachment in a Non-Western Context: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study of Chinese Families

Niobe Way, Victoria Zhu, Rui Yang, Sumie Okazaki et al.
2 citations
Child Development
Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
2.44
article

Maternal Sensitivity Predicts Child Attachment in a Non-Western Context: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study of Chinese Families

Niobe Way, Victoria Zhu, Rui Yang, Sumie Okazaki, Yufei Gu, Kristin Bernard, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Zongbao Liang, Theodore E. A. Waters, Lixian Cui, Xinyin Chen, Xuan Li, Guangzhen Zhang
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Despite the long-standing debate over the assumed universality of maternal sensitivity predicting attachment security (i.e., sensitivity hypothesis), few long-term longitudinal investigations on attachment have been conducted outside the Western context. We leveraged data from a prospective 9-year longitudinal study of middle-class families (N = 356; female = 48.9%) in China to examine if early maternal sensitivity predicts attachment representations in middle childhood. Maternal sensitivity was assessed from lab-based observed interactions at 14 and 24 months. At 10 years old, children completed the Chinese version of the Attachment Script Assessment. Maternal sensitivity positively predicted the child's attachment representations at age 10 years (β = 0.20, p < 0.01). These results supported the view that maternal sensitivity is prospectively related to secure attachment across cultures.

Child DevelopmentVol. 96(5)
New York University Abu Dhabi (AE), University of Copenhagen (DK), New York University Shanghai (CN), Southeast University (BD), New York University (US), Stony Brook University (US), Southeast University (CN), University of Pennsylvania (US)
New York University Shanghai, New York University Abu Dhabi, Southeast University
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
2.44
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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