Challenges related to migration and child attachment: A pilot study with South Asian immigrant mother–child dyads

ABSTRACT

This pilot study examined psychological, social and cultural risk factors for child insecure attachment in a sample of South Asian immigrant families experiencing high migration stress in Montreal, Canada. Thirty-three participants were recruited through a local Health and Social Service organization. Maternal anxiety and depression, social support, and national and religious sense of belonging were assessed. Child attachment behaviors were coded from a 15 min free play period. Results indicated that maternal depressive symptoms were related to lower child attachment security scores. Lower support from friends was related to greater child ambivalent attachment behaviors. A higher sense of belonging to the country of origin was related to greater child disorganized attachment behaviors. These findings suggest that migration stresses, which include maternal depression, lack of social support and the sense of belonging, are associated with child attachment, and these variables should be considered in the design of appropriate interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Maternal mental health
• social support
• sense of belonging
• immigration
• attachment

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Josiane Cyr, Zoé Richard-Fortier and Omaira Naweed for their valuable involvement in the research project, as well as all the families who kindly agreed to participate.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship in Child Health Research from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).