Development of mother’s caregiving system in perspective of social attachment theory

This paper presents theoretical framework of mother’s caregiving system, that is the goal-corrected behavioral system reciprocal to attachment. It is guided by mental representations of self as a caregiver, child as an object of protection and mutual relation. Caregiving representational system is influenced by the adult’s history of attachment and current experiences with the child, his/her characteristics and social-contextual factors. Development of the caregiving system from childhood to adulthood, and particularly during transition to parenthood, is presented.

Exploring bonds and its determinants within the family with newborn infants

In the psychological literature there are theories of mother-infant bonding defined as a process that begins in prenatal life. The authors explored the perceived family cohesion amongst people who has just become parents from the perspective of bonding theories. The studies were conducted during 2-3 days after the childbirth. Mothers (the first and the second study) and fathers (the second study) described the current perceived structure of their family system (the position of a newborn child, parents, others in the family), Associations between the perceived family cohesion and personality traits of participants, as well as factors connected with childbirth were examined. The research project was comprised of two studies. Fifty two women took part in the first study, and a group of young parents participated in the second study (29 women and 25 men, including 24 pairs), All women were hospitalized at the Neonatal Clinic – Department of Gynecology and Obsterics at the Medical University of Gdansk, and were 2/3 days after giving birth to a child. Results of the research indicate that mother-infant bonding is a process associated with creating the stability of a family system. Factors that facilitate this process include orientation towards others among mothers, and differentation of self of fathers, as well as their participation in childbirth.

Social support, strategies of coping with stress and depression in adolescents

The study focused on social support role as a protective factor (against depression) in 12–17 years old adolescents’ life. Strategies of coping with stress were also studied. It was found that the adolescents’ social network consisted of many subjects, mainly mothers, fathers, friends, siblings and important adults. Sources of social support changed with adolescents’ age and gender. Satisfaction with received help buffered the depression in adolescents though the relation was weak. Strategies of coping: reformulation, worry, ignore the problem, hard work and achieve, social action and concentrate on leisure activities were predicting the depression in adolescents. Further studies should focus on the relation between the type of support provided to adolescents and depression.

Religiosity and development of moral reasoning in adolescence

The aim of the presented study was to explore the relationship between religiosity and moral development during adolescence. We were interested if the centrality of religiosity (that is, the position of an individual’s religious construct system in personality [Huber, 2003] is related to moral reasoning and decision making in moral dilemmas. It was assumed that the system of religious constructs can function in both heterogeneous or autonomous ways, and we asked if the type of religious motivation is associated with specific features of moral thinking, and thereby with moral development.
112 Polish students (aged 15–18) from Catholic and non-Catholic high schools completed two questionnaires: Polish versions of Huber’s Centrality of Religiosity Scale and the Rest’s Defining Issues Test. The results indicated that there is the relationship between (a) global centrality and second stage (pre-conventional level) and fourth stage (conventional level) of moral development; (b) five dimensions of religiosity and stages of moral development.

Attachment and satisfaction with the implementation of developmental tasks in close relationships and aggressive behavior between partners

The article presents research on the frequently observed problem of aggression and violence in relationship. The authors point out the role of represented attachment style for the quality of relationships of young adults and the appearance of aggressive behaviors. At the same time they suggest that the role overload that occurs during early adulthood may lead to lower satisfaction with the implementation of the developmental tasks of this period – which in turn may result in a tendency to aggressive behavior.

The aim of this study was to investigate the specific needs of young adults in partnership given their attachment style, satisfaction with the developmental tasks associated with family life and the expression of aggressive behavior. The main research problem was therefore the relationship between attachment style and the level of aggression and the relationship between the level of aggression and satisfaction with the implementation of developmental tasks. The study was conducted with the use of Kwestionariusz Stylów Przywiązaniowych (KSP) Mieczyslawa Plopy, Kwestionariusz Agresji (BPAQ) A. Buss and M. Perry and Skala Satysfakcji z Realizacji Zadań Rozwojowych (prepared by the authors). The study involved 45 pairs in different forms of relationship. The study confirmed the relationship between represented attachment style and the level of aggression and the relationship between satisfaction with the developmental tasks and the level of partners aggression towards each other.

Relational competences of single and partnered young adults

The review of literature and studies let us suppose that a definite level of relational competences create greater or less possibilities to find a lifetime partner, and to maintain a relationship with him or her. In the article the findings of the research with 457 young single and partnered adults are presented. Their aim was to verify whether are there any differences between young single and partnered adults in the extent of level of relational competences, which indices were five six bonding behaviours (behaviours of psychic and physical closeness, impressive behaviours, behaviours on the behalf of a partner and a relationship, conciliatory behaviours, and sexual behaviours). Additionaly an association between level of relational competences and gender was analysed. It was assumed that lower level of competences will be characteristic of single adults. Moreover, it was hypothesized that females will possess a higher level of competences in comparison to males.

Statistical analysis showed that the observed difference between single and partnered groups in the area of relational competences is statistically significant. Single individuals reveal a lower level of relational competences in the realm of the above-mentioned bonding behaviours. At the same time, gender showed to be a differentiating factor only in the area of competences concerned behaviours of psychic and physical closeness, and sexual behaviours.

Sprawozdanie z XV Europejskiej Konferencji Psychologii Rozwojowej (European Conference on Developmental Psychology), 23–27 sierpnia 2011, Bergen, Norwegia

RECENZJA

H. Wrona-Polańska, J. Mastalski (red.) (2009), Promocja zdrowia w teorii i praktyce psychologicznej, Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, 202 s.