{"id":22765,"date":"2026-02-26T19:06:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/?p=22765"},"modified":"2026-02-26T19:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:06:35","slug":"secure-attachment-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising securely attached children: Why understanding baby\u2019s mind matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\" >Key takeaways for caregivers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#What_is_secure_attachment\" >What is secure attachment?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#Communicative_style_How_caregivers_respond_to_their_infants_in_moments_of_stress\" >Communicative style: How caregivers respond to their infants in moments of stress<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#Mind-mindedness_Caregivers_attunement_to_their_infant_in_low-stress_situations\" >Mind-mindedness: Caregivers\u2019 attunement to their infant in low-stress situations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#Our_study_Examining_the_role_of_mothers_mind-mindedness_in_babies_secure_attachment\" >Our study: Examining the role of mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness in babies&#8217; secure attachment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-babies\/#Raising_securely_attached_infants_Practical_implications_for_caregivers\" >Raising securely attached infants: Practical implications for caregivers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\"><\/span><strong>Key takeaways for caregivers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Attachment security, or how safe and supported an infant feels with their caregiver, develops from the way caregivers communicate, both during challenging moments (e.g., separations, reunions) and in low-stress situations (e.g., everyday playtime).<\/li>\n<li>Mothers who accurately notice and comment on their baby\u2019s feelings during typical, low-stress situations exhibit <em>mind-mindedness<\/em>, which helps infants feel understood and supports secure attachment.<\/li>\n<li>Mind-mindedness during everyday play predicts higher levels of infant comfort during times of stress, a key factor in fostering secure attachment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">This piece was written by Ishani Bharadwaj in collaboration with study author Elisabetta Lombardi. It is based on research originally published in\u202fLombardi, E., Di Dio, C., Meins, E., Giovanelli, C., Crippa, F., Traficante, D., Marchetti, A., &amp; Carli, L. L. (2024).<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><a style=\"color: #00ccff;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/01650254241308489\">Inter-relations between mind-mindedness, maternal communicative style in the context of attachment distress, and infant-mother attachment security.<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em>International Journal of\u00a0Behavioral Development<\/em>,\u00a0<em>49<\/em>(3), 288-298.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_secure_attachment\"><\/span><strong>What is secure attachment?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Babies come into the world completely dependent on their caregivers for survival. They form their first social bonds, or <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/parent-child-relationship\/\">attachment relationships, with their caregivers<\/a>, who are usually their parents. In these relationships, <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/what-is-the-role-of-families-in-child-development\/\">caregivers take care of their infants<\/a>, soothe them, and respond to their physical needs (e.g., hunger, safety, comfort).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22767\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22767\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22767\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-sarah-chai-7282776-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22767\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/unrecognizable-mother-with-crying-baby-in-arms-7282776\/\">Sarah Chai<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1980-09337-001\"><em>Attachment security<\/em><\/a> refers to how safe and secure an infant feels with their caregiver. Beyond meeting basic needs, these <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/global-collaboration-on-attachment-theory-in-family-court\/\">attachment bonds<\/a> also serve as infants\u2019 first blueprint on how relationships work, including what to expect from others and how emotions are shared and responded to. Therefore, attachment experiences early in life can influence how infants relate to others as they grow older.<\/p>\n<p>When infants\u2019 needs are consistently met and caregivers respond with care and comfort during times of distress, infants are more likely to develop a secure and positive view of the world, seeing it as a safe and predictable place, and to believe that they are worthy of care.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, when their needs are unmet or their caregivers are unresponsive or neglectful, infants may come to view the world as untrustworthy and experience difficulties forming social relationships later in life.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Communicative_style_How_caregivers_respond_to_their_infants_in_moments_of_stress\"><\/span><strong>Communicative style: How caregivers respond to their infants in moments of stress <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Caregivers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16210239\/\">communicative style<\/a>, or the way they <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/relationships-progressive-human-communication-skills\/\">communicate with and respond to their infants<\/a>, especially during stressful situations, plays a very important role in the development of <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/secure-attachment-father-play\/\">secure attachment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Caregivers reflect their communicative styles during times of stress. When a baby is crying, their caregiver might offer emotional support and comfort or they might deny support or confuse the infant with misleading information about the stressful situation. Children whose caregivers provide warmth and support are more likely to be securely attached than children whose caregivers do not.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mind-mindedness_Caregivers_attunement_to_their_infant_in_low-stress_situations\"><\/span><strong>Mind-mindedness: Caregivers\u2019 attunement to their infant in low-stress situations<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.2044-835X.1997.tb00730.x\"><em>Mind-mindedness<\/em><\/a> refers to the caregiver\u2019s ability to recognize the child\u2019s internal states, such as emotions, desires, and thoughts, attune to them, and respond appropriately, even in <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/01650254241308489\">everyday low-stress situation<\/a>s.<\/p>\n<p>A caregiver\u2019s comment is considered accurate when it is consistent with the child\u2019s behavior in the context of the interaction. Caregivers infer how their infant is feeling by observing cues such as facial expressions, body movements, where the infant is looking, vocal utterances, and changes in their emotional expression (e.g., crying).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Mind-mindedness captures the caregiver\u2019s ability to stay closely aligned with the child\u2019s experience, even before the child can express it in words.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/mind-mindedness-baby-emotions\/\">mind-minded caregiver<\/a> does not guess what their child is thinking or feeling, but shows sensitivity to the child\u2019s signals and responds in a way that is consistent with those signals. In this sense, <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/mind-mindedness-parenting\/\">mind-mindedness<\/a> captures the caregiver\u2019s ability to stay closely aligned with the child\u2019s experience, even before the child can express it in words.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><em>An example of a mind-minded response<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Following is\u00a0an example\u00a0of a mind-minded interaction between a one-year-old and their mother as they play together.<\/p>\n<p>The infant is sitting on the floor playing with a toy. The toy suddenly slips out of their hand, and the baby\u2019s face scrunches as they start to whimper.\u00a0The mother\u00a0moves closer, makes eye contact, and gently says, \u201cOh, that surprised you! You look frustrated that the toy fell.\u00a0Let\u2019s\u00a0get it back so you can keep playing.\u201d The mother hands the toy back and gives the infant a reassuring smile.<\/p>\n<p>The mother\u2019s behavior shows mind-mindedness by accurately interpreting\u00a0the infant\u2019s distress, commenting on\u00a0it,\u00a0and then reassuring the child.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22766\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22766\" class=\"wp-image-22766 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-william-fortunato-6393141-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22766\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-mother-giving-toy-to-her-baby-6393141\/\">William Fortunato<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong><em>An example of a non-mind-minded response<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In contrast, <em>non-attuned<\/em> or <em>non-mind-minded<\/em> comments misinterpret, contradict, or minimize a child\u2019s apparent <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/social-emotional-development\/\">emotional experience<\/a>. The caregiver might actively ignore the child\u2019s distress or distract them from it. For example, imagine if the mother in the first example briefly looked at the infant and said in a light, dismissive tone, \u201cOops! That\u2019s nothing \u2013 look over here!\u201d She might immediately offer another toy to distract the infant without acknowledging or commenting on the child\u2019s frustration or distress.<\/p>\n<p>In this example, although the mother may register that their infant is upset, they do not stay with the infant\u2019s emotional experience or reflect it back to them. Instead, the infant\u2019s emotion is deflected rather than named or validated.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_study_Examining_the_role_of_mothers_mind-mindedness_in_babies_secure_attachment\"><\/span><strong>Our study: Examining the role of mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness in babies&#8217; secure attachment<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is well established that a mother\u2019s communicative style with their infant in a high-stress situation plays a huge role in the infant\u2019s attachment security. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca\/10.1177\/01650254241308489\">In our research<\/a>, we focused on the role of mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness during low-stress situations in this relationship between their communicative style and attachment security. We sought to determine whether mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness in low-stress situations was related to more emotional support during high-stress situations and, in turn, to attachment security.<\/p>\n<p>We conducted our study in\u00a0Milan,\u00a0Italy,\u00a0with 88\u00a0native-born\u00a0mothers who were raised in Italy and their infants.\u00a0All mothers were 26 to 45 years old,\u00a0and their infants\u00a0were\u00a012 months\u00a0old.<\/p>\n<p>Almost all\u00a0the mothers lived with spouses or partners, and about a quarter had given birth only once\u00a0(suggesting that\u00a0many of the\u00a0infants\u00a0were\u00a0likely\u00a0the\u00a0only children in the home). The mothers were highly educated, with\u00a0all having completed high school and three quarters having earned\u00a0a university degree.<\/p>\n<p>Because the mothers shared many characteristics, our findings may not reflect the experiences of all families. The patterns we observed may differ in families from other cultural backgrounds and with different education levels, or when considering the <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/child-attachment-father\/\">role of fathers<\/a> and other caregivers.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><em>The Strange Situation Procedure<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>We used the\u00a0well-established\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft28248-000\">Strange Situation Procedure<\/a> \u00a0to measure\u00a0infant-caregiver attachment\u00a0security. In this task, researchers observed\u00a0each\u00a0child and their mother\u00a0during a series of\u00a0brief (3-minute)\u00a0separations and reunions\u00a0in an unfamiliar\u00a0family-friendly laboratory.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of the procedure, the infant and mother entered the new environment together, and then were joined by a stranger from our research team. Then the following occurred:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 1: Mother and Baby \u2013 The mother and infant enter the room, and the infant is introduced to the environment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 2: Mother, Baby and Stranger \u2013 A stranger enters the room.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 3: Stranger and Baby \u2013 The mother leaves the infant with the stranger (<strong>first separation<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 4: Mother Returns \u2013 The mother returns and the stranger leaves (<strong>first reunion<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 5: Mother and Baby \u2013 The infant is once again alone with the mother.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 6: Mother Leaves \u2013 The infant is left alone (<strong>second separation<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 7: Stranger Returns \u2013 The stranger enters and attempts to comfort the infant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Stage 8: Mother Returns and Stranger Leaves \u2013 The mother re-enters and the stranger leaves (<strong>second reunion<\/strong>)<\/p>\n<h4><em><strong>Exploring infants&#8217; attachment security and mothers&#8217; communicative style<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n<p>To examine infants\u2019 attachment security, we looked at how they reacted during the reunions with their mothers (numbers 2 and 5): Did they cry in a way that was difficult to pacify\/calm\/soothe? Did they seek their mothers for comfort or did they avoid them?<\/p>\n<p>To explore mothers\u2019 communicative style, we also observed mothers\u2019 verbal communication to see how they reacted to their child\u2019s behavior upon reuniting: Did they use <em>denial communication<\/em> by refusing or disapproving of the child\u2019s behavior? Did they use <em>misleading communication<\/em> by providing confusing information that was not attuned to the child\u2019s experience and could distort what the child was feeling? Did they provide emotional support by reassuring and comforting the child?<\/p>\n<h3><strong><em>Mind-mindedness\u00a0in a free-play setting<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To\u00a0measure\u00a0mothers\u2019\u00a0mind-mindedness, we\u00a0visited the\u00a0mothers\u00a0and their infants in their homes for 25 minutes of mother-child playtime.\u00a0This allowed us to observe mothers and infants in a familiar, low-stress environment.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, we looked for mothers\u2019 <em>mind-related comments<\/em>, verbal statements in which mothers referred to what their child might be thinking or feeling. This included mothers\u2019 labeling of infants\u2019 feelings (e.g., \u201cYou\u2019re frustrated\u201d) and comments spoken on behalf of the infant (e.g., \u201cI\u2019m scared,\u201d said from the infant\u2019s perspective).<\/p>\n<p>We categorized comments as <em>appropriate<\/em> when they reflected what the child appeared to be experiencing. We considered both the content of the mothers\u2019 words and other components of their responses (e.g., body language, facial expressions, vocal intonation). We then coded the proportion of maternal responses that were appropriate (i.e., attuned to the infant\u2019s internal state) versus those that were <em>non-attuned<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Goal 1: Confirming\u00a0links\u00a0between mothers\u2019\u00a0communicative\u00a0styles\u00a0and\u00a0infants\u2019\u00a0attachment security<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Our first goal in this study was to confirm the association (established in earlier research) between mothers\u2019 communicative styles and infants\u2019 attachment security. Our findings were consistent with research that has established links between mothers\u2019 more supportive communication and infants\u2019 secure attachment.<\/p>\n<p>When mothers showed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/supportive-parenting-disadvantaged-children\/\"><em>emotional\u00a0support<\/em><\/a> by accurately\u00a0understanding\u00a0and acknowledging\u00a0their child\u2019s\u00a0distress and\u00a0comforting them\u00a0instead of redirecting or\u00a0distracting them, infants showed signs of <em>secure attachment. <\/em>That is, when infants cried or became mildly distressed during separation, they quickly reestablished contact\u00a0when their mother returned.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, when mothers misunderstood what their child was feeling and communicated in misleading ways by confusing the child or distanced the child instead of soothing them, infants were more likely to show <em>insecure attachment<\/em> during reunions. These infants appeared unsure of how to react when their mother left and returned. During reunions, despite wanting comfort and closeness, they resisted being held or soothed or seemed indifferent to their mother returning.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Goal 2: Mind-mindedness during play was also related to\u00a0attachment security during reunions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Our second\u00a0goal was to explore the role of mind-mindedness\u00a0in\u00a0the links between mothers\u2019 communicative style and infants\u2019\u00a0attachment security.<\/p>\n<p>Mothers who appropriately interpreted and commented on how their child was feeling during casual playtime (i.e., those who showed strong mind-mindedness) also tended to provide comfort and support during the stressful Strange Situation Procedure (i.e., their communicative style emphasized emotional support).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Mothers who embody mind-mindedness tend to raise children who are more securely attached.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Furthermore, mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness directly predicted children\u2019s attachment security. Mothers who embody mind-mindedness tend to raise children who are more securely attached. This means that the way mothers use mind-minded comments during low-stress, daily situations (e.g., while playing with their infants at home) relates to how secure their children feel in more high-stress situations (e.g., when they are separated).<\/p>\n<p>These links between mind-mindedness and both mothers\u2019 communicative style and infants\u2019 attachment security provide new insights about established connections between communicative style and attachment.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22805\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22805\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22805\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-polesietoys-31196423-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22805\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/mother-and-daughter-playing-with-educational-toy-indoors-31196423\/\">Polesie Toys<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<h4><strong><em>Mothers\u2019 mind-mindedness strengthens the link between mothers\u2019 emotional support and infants\u2019 secure attachment<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Mind-mindedness related most closely to how emotionally supportive mothers were rather than to mothers\u2019 communication overall or to other aspects of their communicative style (i.e., their tendencies to be dismissive or confusing).<\/p>\n<p>This aspect of communicative style \u2013 <em>emotional support<\/em> \u2013 contributed to secure attachment not only on its own, but also indirectly through mind-mindedness. Emotional support was linked to mothers\u2019 ability to make appropriate comments about their child\u2019s mental states, which, in turn, strengthened attachment security.<\/p>\n<p>These findings suggest that being emotionally supportive is important for the attachment bond, but it becomes even more effective when mothers can also think about and accurately comment on their child\u2019s thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Raising_securely_attached_infants_Practical_implications_for_caregivers\"><\/span><strong>Raising securely attached infants: Practical implications for caregivers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To raise a child who is securely attached to their caregivers, it is important to provide comfort during challenging situations but also to embody mind-mindedness in everyday interactions with the child. In short, infants are more likely to develop secure attachment when their mothers offer emotional comfort and show they have a good understanding of what their baby is thinking or feeling.<\/p>\n<p>To foster secure attachment with their infants, parents and other caregivers can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Acknowledge\u00a0all their child\u2019s emotions:<\/strong> Notice and respond to what the child\u00a0seems to be\u00a0feeling, including harder emotions like frustration, sadness, or fear.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appropriately\u00a0name the emotions\u00a0out loud:<\/strong> Help the child understand their feelings by putting them into words (e.g., \u201cYou\u2019re upset because the block fell over\u201d).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid misleading or dismissive responses:<\/strong> Try not to send confusing or distorted signals (e.g., by providing a cheerful distraction when the child is clearly distressed), which can make it harder for the child to understand and recognize their emotions and to feel emotionally understood.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support their child in calming down: <\/strong>Offer comfort, strategies, or guidance to help them regulate their emotions (e.g., taking deep breaths together, offering a hug, helping them solve a problem).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways for caregivers Attachment security, or how safe and supported an infant feels with their caregiver, develops from the way caregivers communicate, both during challenging moments (e.g., separations, reunions) and in low-stress situations (e.g., everyday playtime). Mothers who accurately notice and comment on their baby\u2019s feelings during typical, low-stress situations exhibit mind-mindedness, which helps [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":369,"featured_media":22807,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5770],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22765"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/369"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22765"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22840,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22765\/revisions\/22840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}