# A healthy start: examining the contribution of caregiving quality to child physical health from birth to 14 years

## TL;DR

This study explores how the quality of caregiving affects children's physical health from birth to 14 years in a low-risk population.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence linking maternal sensitivity and attachment security to long-term child physical health outcomes.

## Key findings

- Higher maternal sensitivity was associated with fewer total and respiratory health complaints in children.
- Securely attached children showed fewer symptoms when early maternal sensitivity was higher.
- Insecurely attached children had fewer health complaints regardless of sensitivity levels.

## Abstract

The attachment theory emphasizes the role of caregiver sensitivity in shaping children’s behavioral development. However, it remains unclear whether variations in early caregiving quality in low-risk populations influence children’s physical health across development. This study investigates whether maternal sensitivity and infant-mother attachment security are associated with children’s physical health from 0 to 14 years. We employed Bayesian generalized linear mixed models to analyze data from a low-risk Dutch sample from birth to age 14 (N = 193). Maternal sensitivity was assessed five times from 5 weeks to 14 years, while attachment security was assessed at 12 months using the Strange Situation Procedure. Child health complaints were recorded monthly in the first year and with intervals of 1–2 years until 14 years (N = 150) and categorized according to the International Classification of Primary Care: respiratory, skin, general, digestive symptoms. Higher maternal sensitivity scores in the first year of life and throughout 14 years were related to fewer total health complaints, particularly respiratory. Securely attached children showed fewer symptoms when early maternal sensitivity was higher. Insecurely attached children showed fewer health complaints, irrespective of sensitivity throughout childhood. Our findings indicate that maternal sensitivity and attachment may influence physical health. Future research should explore underlying psychobiological mechanisms.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-025-08350-5.