The Toddler's Transition from Attachment to Self: The Role of Self Comforting

The purpose of this study was to clarify and empirically examine the role played by a toddler's self comforting skill in facilitating the separation-individuation process. On the basis of psychoanalytic ideas and empirical findings it was predicted that self comforting would be positively related to both secure attachment and self awareness. It was also predicted that the mother's fostering of independence would predict secure attachment. A total of 19 toddlers and their mothers participated in the study. Children ranged in age from 64 to 95 weeks. Data were collected in interviews, a structured play session, a stress diary, and in a 5-minute session modeled on the Ainsworth procedure, but abbreviated to minimize stress and concentrate on relevant ratings. Correlational findings did not support the former predictions, but did confirm the latter. Discussion explores the possibility that the mother's style of comforting her fearful toddler may determine the way in which self comforting and self awareness connect for the toddler. (Author/RH)