Longitudinal and concurrent relations among positive and negative marital behaviors in 2 contexts and preschoolers' security of attachment were examined for 53 families. At 6 months postpartum, couples were observed in their homes during couple discussion and family play. At 3 years, parents completed the Attachment Q-Set (E. Waters, 1987); marital and parenting behavior was also observed. Interparental hostility during family play at 6 months predicted less secure preschooler–mother attachment. Greater marital conflict at 3 years was associated with less security with mother and father, whereas positive marital engagement at 3 years was associated with more secure child–father attachment. Mothers' parenting partially explained the linkages between marital behavior and child–mother attachment. These results highlight the impact of positive and negative marital behaviors on children's abilities to use their parents as a secure base.

Secure child–parent attachment relationships are considered an important resource for a child facing the challenges of social and emotional development. As such, much scientific effort has been directed toward identifying factors that contribute to the development of secure attachments. The majority of these efforts have focused exclusively on the parent–child dyad, ignoring other potential influences in the family system. Of these, the marital relationship may be particularly important because of its impact on the emotional climate of the family (Easterbrooks & Emde, 1988).

Marital conflict and discord may compromise the attachment relationship between parent and...