Attachment theory describes the relationship between a child and his or her primary caregiver. This relationship is believed to be fundamental to typical development in adulthood, allowing the acquisition of skills in social interaction. Attachment styles include Type B (secure), Type A (anxious-avoidant), Type C (anxious-resistant), and Type D (disorganized). As one might hypothesize, insecure attachment (A, C, and D) is associated with negative outcomes – such as later psychopathology {Zeanah 2003} and problems with “affect regulation” {Mikulincz 2003} In light of this, research on etiology of insecure attachment Attachment was performed with the goal of reducing the incidence of this subtype of attachment relationship. Maternal depression has been indicated as one of the main factors influencing the relationship between parent and child; It is a debilitating disorder that affects all areas of life. With this in mind, an effect on parent/child attachment seems likely. For the purposes of this essay, maternal depression will be defined as depression {see ICD-10 MDD} experienced from birth onward. Maternal depression may be part of a chronic or recent onset depressive disorder, such as postnatal depression. However, this essay is not limited to postnatal depression as this occurs starting four weeks after birth, which is a limited time frame, the effects of which are difficult to separate from those of other maternal depressive disorders. Different etiologies of mood disorder can influence the attachment relationship differently: for example, a mother accustomed to depressive episodes may have developed coping strategies while a mother new to the effects of major mood disorder may be less prepared. However, due to the risk of recurrence of...... half of article ......ssionOpenUrlCiteViewPerry,Deborah F. (2011) Prenatal depression predicts postpartum maternal attachment in low-income Latina mothers with childrenOpenUrlCiteViewPesonen ,Anu-Katriina (2004) Insecure adult attachment style and depressive symptoms: implications for parents' perceptions of child temperamentOpenUrlCiteViewPosada,G. (1999) Maternal care and attachment security in ordinary and emergency contexts.OpenUrlCiteViewTomlinson,Mark (2005) The mother-infant relationship and infant attachment in a South African peri-urban settlementOpenUrlCiteViewTrapolini,T. (2007) Maternal depression and children's representations of attachment during the preschool yearsOpenUrlCiteViewZeanah (2005) Building attachment relationships following maltreatment and severe deprivationAtkinson, Leslie (2000) Security of attachment: a meta-analysis of correlates of maternal mental health