Korean infant–mother attachment security: longitudinal predictions of peer play interactions and behavioural problems in early childhood

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the effect of attachment security in 17-month-olds on their peer play interactions and behavioural problems at ages 4 and 6 years, respectively, in Korea. By employing structural equation modelling, we analyzed the data of 183 children and their mothers, which were extracted from the Panel Study on Korean Children (2009–2013). The results indicated that higher attachment security at 17 months was associated with positive play interactions with peers at age 4, which in turn led to fewer internalizing and externalizing problems at age 6. Conversely, lower attachment security at 17 months was related to negative play interactions with peers at age 4, which in turn led to more externalizing problems at age 6. These findings highlight the importance of early infant–mother attachment security to enhance peer competence and protect against behavioural problems in early childhood.

KEYWORDS:

• Infant attachment security
• peer play interactions
• behavioural problems

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

All data are available from the Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC), which has been collected by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) since 2008. The PSKC is an annually resurveyed study to examine characteristics of children, households with children, and childcare policies using a multi-stage stratified sample.

Notes on contributors

Soo Young Shim is a professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education at the Sookmyung Women’s University, South Korea. Her work focuses on children’s social and emotional outcomes, children’s behavioural problems, infant attachment, and parent-child relationships.

Sun Ah Lim is an associate professor in the Department of Education at Chonbuk National University, South Korea. Her research interests focus on understanding students’ learning motivation and positive psychological traits.