Empirical studies have provided contradictory results, but the majority found that mothers depressed postnatally were more likely to develop insecure attachment relationships with their infants [ 20- 23].
Insecure attachment relationships are thought to cause psychological distress, such as feelings of depression or anxiety (Bowlby 1982; Schaie and Zuo 2000; Seeman et al. 2001).
Studies in general have not been able to find direct associations of mother-infant attachment with child care arrangements and with mothers' social support systems [ 12], but in high social risk groups, lack of support correlated with higher rates of insecure attachment relationships [ 24- 26], while extensive support was found to promote security [ 27, 28].
The validity and stability of the construct over time have been established [ 147] and the data can give information about the nature of the relationship between the dyad, in terms of a 'secure' or 'insecure' attachment relationship.
A highly debated conclusion was that early and extensive non-maternal care increased the probability of insecure infant parent attachment relationships, child aggression and noncompliance during the toddler, preschool and early primary school years [ 48].
A growing body of literature has showed a relationship between insecure "attachment style" and somatic symptoms.
Family risk factors, such as a lack of a positive relationship with parents, insecure attachment, harsh or inconsistent discipline practices, marital problems, and parental psychopathology increase the risk that children will develop major behavioral and emotional problems [ 12, 13].
In addition, there is a large body of literature that demonstrates how relationship problems between parents and children can create insecure attachment styles that are duplicated in adult relationships.
We review studies showing that insecure attachment is associated with poorer interpersonal relationships and less integrative recovery styles and highlight how recent theories and empirical findings in the psychosis literature can be understood within the framework of attachment theory.
