In a recent meta-analysis, only 53% of disorganized infants were
predicted by parental Unresolved states of mind on the Adult Attachment
Interview (AAI). The goal of this study was to identify additional
predictors of infant disorganization on the AAI by developing and
validating an interview-wide coding system for Hostile/Helpless
(H/H) parental states of mind with respect to attachment. Maternal
AAIs were collected from 45 low-income mothers with high rates of
childhood trauma when their children were age 7; Strange Situation
assessments had been collected at 18 months of age. AAIs were
independently coded using both the Main and Goldwyn coding system and
newly developed codes for H/H states of mind. Results indicated that
the H/H coding system displayed discriminant validity in that it did
not overlap substantially with the Unresolved, Cannot Classify, or
Fearfully Preoccupied by Traumatic Events categories in the Main and
Goldwyn coding system. Second, H/H states of mind accounted for
variance in disorganized infant behavior not associated with the
Unresolved classification. Third, H/H states of mind were
significantly related to maternal disrupted affective communication as
coded by the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and
Classification coding system, and maternal disrupted communication
mediated the relations between H/H states of mind and infant
disorganization.