Mother-child attachment in Thailand: A review article

Abstract

ABSTRACT            Mother-infant attachment in Thailand was crucial, and needed to be assessed as a result of effects of economic and social changes. Presently, mothers with young children were increasing engaged in the labor force in greater number. Over three- fifths of all families in Thailand, a developing non-western country, had working mothers. This situation affected the family socialization functions and also might decrease the quality of mother-child interactions. Consequently, concerns regarding mother-infant attachment in the Thai context was raised. Literature related to attachment studies in Thailand was limited, and most of it published in Thai. Relationships among young children at home, childcare setting and hospital, adolescents, mother-fetus, mothers with different living areas, young, abused and genetic defect carrier mothers were presented. Two studies compared results with attachment theory, which were generalizable to the theory. Instruments developed from western cultures using to measure attachment in Thai sample were discussed.