TY - JOUR
T1 - The Association between Breastfeeding Duration and Attachment
T2 - A Genetically Informed Analysis
AU - Jackson, Dylan B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2016, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..
Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Introduction: A growing body of research explores whether breastfeeding during infancy influences the development of attachment security in offspring. Studies to date have generally yielded inconsistent results, with some studies detecting an association between breastfeeding and attachment security, and others failing to do so. The purpose of this study is to empirically consider whether (1) any association between breastfeeding and offspring attachment security is robust to both familial and genetic confounding and (2) whether the breastfeeding-attachment relationship is significant for both male and female offspring. Materials and Methods: The present study uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) to examine whether twins who differ in their extent of exposure to breastfeeding exhibit different attachment patterns by the time they reach toddlerhood. Results: The results suggest that, independent of genetic and shared environmental influences, breastfeeding duration increases the security of attachment in offspring, but only among females. Conclusions: A longer duration of breastfeeding may help to facilitate a secure attachment among female offspring.
AB - Introduction: A growing body of research explores whether breastfeeding during infancy influences the development of attachment security in offspring. Studies to date have generally yielded inconsistent results, with some studies detecting an association between breastfeeding and attachment security, and others failing to do so. The purpose of this study is to empirically consider whether (1) any association between breastfeeding and offspring attachment security is robust to both familial and genetic confounding and (2) whether the breastfeeding-attachment relationship is significant for both male and female offspring. Materials and Methods: The present study uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) to examine whether twins who differ in their extent of exposure to breastfeeding exhibit different attachment patterns by the time they reach toddlerhood. Results: The results suggest that, independent of genetic and shared environmental influences, breastfeeding duration increases the security of attachment in offspring, but only among females. Conclusions: A longer duration of breastfeeding may help to facilitate a secure attachment among female offspring.
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U2 - 10.1089/bfm.2016.0036
DO - 10.1089/bfm.2016.0036
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84979249530
VL - 11
SP - 297
EP - 304
JO - Breastfeeding Medicine
JF - Breastfeeding Medicine
SN - 1556-8253
IS - 6
ER -