Unexpected early birth of an infant may affect the attachment formation of mother–child dyads. This longitudinal study aimed to explore mother–infant attachment patterns of very preterm (VPT) and preterm (PT) infants compared to their term-born peers in a non-Western country. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants, maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms, and sociodemographic features were evaluated to explore their effects on attachment. Eighteen VPT, 11 PT, 11 term infants and their mothers participated. Observations of attachment patterns and neurodevelopmental assessments were performed at 18 and 24 months of corrected age. This study identified a change in attachment patterns of VPT infants over time such that VPT infants tended to have less insecure attachment patterns with their mothers at the end of the infancy period. While motor and language development scores were associated with attachment patterns at 18 months, models predicting attachment patterns were no longer significant at 24 months. Therefore, change in VPT infants’ developmental outcomes and attachment patterns over time suggests that preterm birth itself is not necessarily a risk factor for developing insecure attachment patterns; yet, developmental delays may account for insecure attachment patterns. It is suggested that efforts to promote developmental outcomes of preterm infants may improve mother–child attachment.

中文翻译：

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非西方国家早产儿依恋模式的纵向变化

婴儿的意外早产可能会影响母子二元对依恋的形成。这项纵向研究旨在探索极早产 (VPT) 和早产 (PT) 婴儿与其在非西方国家的足月出生同龄人相比的母婴依恋模式。评估婴儿的神经发育结果、母亲的焦虑和抑郁症状以及社会人口学特征，以探讨它们对依恋的影响。18 名 VPT、11 名 PT、11 名足月婴儿及其母亲参加。在矫正年龄的 18 个月和 24 个月时对依恋模式和神经发育评估进行观察。这项研究确定了 VPT 婴儿依恋模式随时间的变化，因此 VPT 婴儿在婴儿期结束时与母亲的不安全依恋模式往往较少。虽然运动和语言发展评分与 18 个月时的依恋模式相关，但预测依恋模式的模型在 24 个月时不再显着。因此，随着时间的推移，VPT 婴儿的发育结果和依恋模式的变化表明早产本身不一定是发展不安全依恋模式的风险因素；然而，发育迟缓可能是不安全依恋模式的原因。建议努力促进早产儿的发育结果可能会改善母婴依恋。随着时间的推移，VPT 婴儿的发育结果和依恋模式的变化表明早产本身不一定是发展不安全依恋模式的风险因素；然而，发育迟缓可能是不安全依恋模式的原因。建议努力促进早产儿的发育结果可能会改善母婴依恋。随着时间的推移，VPT 婴儿的发育结果和依恋模式的变化表明早产本身不一定是发展不安全依恋模式的风险因素；然而，发育迟缓可能是不安全依恋模式的原因。建议努力促进早产儿的发育结果可能会改善母婴依恋。