Research aims
Based upon the theory and research described above, our study had two major aims: 1) to
determine whether a mother’s frequency of touch or her use of nurturing versus harsh touch
are associated with the low birth weight infant’s security of attachment, and 2) to determine
whether selected moderating variables may interact with maternal touch to influence its
relationship to attachment: specifically, a) the mother’s sensitivity toward the infant, b) the
mother’s felt security regarding her own history of touch, c) the infant’s degree of biological
vulnerability, and d) the infant’s gender.