There are 90 caregiver behaviors that lead to secure attachment

These behaviors are part of what's called the Maternal Behavior Q-Set, or MBQS. Researchers developed this list of behaviors as a uniform way of predicting a parent's likelihood to form a secure attachment with their baby.

What is the MBQS?

The Maternal Behavioral Q-Set (MBQS) was specifically developed to operationalize maternal sensitivity, a central construct in attachment theory originally defined by Mary Ainsworth. Ainsworth described a sensitive caregiver as one who notices their baby’s signals, interprets them accurately, and responds promptly and appropriately. Her sensitivity scale, developed through intensive home observations in Uganda and Baltimore, laid the groundwork for understanding how caregiving behaviors influence attachment security.

The MBQS builds directly on this legacy but offers a more detailed and structured way to assess sensitivity. Rather than rating sensitivity on a single scale, the MBQS uses 90 discrete behavioral items—many of which reflect Ainsworth’s original criteria—organized into a Q-sort system.

After observing a mother and baby, a trained observer sorts the items into a fixed distribution, creating a profile of the mother’s behavior. This profile can then be compared to an expert “criterion sort” that represents prototypically sensitive maternal behavior. The degree of similarity between the caregiver's sort and the criterion sort yields a maternal sensitivity score, offering both a rich behavioral description and a quantitative measure.

In this way, the MBQS honors and extends Ainsworth’s work, offering a robust tool for researchers seeking to understand how everyday caregiving supports or hinders the development of secure attachment.

90 MBQS Items

1. Provides baby with little opportunity to contribute to the interaction

2. Monitors baby's activities during visit

3. Mother's responses are unpredictable

4. During interaction with visitor does not notice baby

5. Awkward and ill at ease during intimate interactions with baby

6. Supports interaction of baby with visitor

7. Treats baby as an inanimate object when moving her around or adjusting her posture

8. Gives signal or explanation to baby when leaving the room

9. Ignores positive signals (vocalizations, smiles, reaches)

10. Speaks to baby directly

11. Repeats words carefully and slowly to baby as if teaching meaning or labelling an activity or object

12. Naptimes are determined by mother's convenience rather than the immediate needs of baby

13. Uses sibling or television to keep baby entertained

14. Breaks off from baby in mid-interaction to speak to visitor or attend to some other activity

15. Attempts to involve baby in games or activities that are beyond baby's current capability

16. During ongoing interactions, misses slow down or back off signals from baby

17. Content and pace of interaction set by mother rather than according to baby's responses

18. Home shows little evidence of presence of baby

19. Places baby in another room when baby is in a bad mood or cranky

20. Responds accurately to signals of distress

21. Overwhelmed by caretaking demands

22. Appears to tune out and not notice bids for attention

23. Provides baby with unrestricted access to her

24. Arranges her location so she can perceive baby's signals

25. Not skillful in dividing her attention between baby and competing demands and therefore misses baby's cues

26. Responds immediately to cries/whimpers

27. Responds to baby's distress and non-distress signals even when engaged in some other activity

28. Offers an acceptable alternative to baby to divert attention from inappropriate activity

29. When baby is distressed, mother is able to identify the source

30. Interactions with baby characterized by active physical manipulations

31. Redirects baby's bids for proximity and/or contact without a transition period to facilitate smooth interactions

32. Non-synchronous interactions with baby

33. Repeated series of interventions in search of best method to satisfy baby, resorts to trial and error

34. Interactions revolve around baby's tempo and current state

35. Well resolved interaction with baby

36. Interrupts activity that is likely to be dangerous

37. Interferes with appropriate activity if it is likely to get baby messy

38. Provides nutritional snacks

39. Instructive during interactions with baby

40. Encourages baby's initiatives in feeding

41. Interactions with baby are object oriented

42. Expressions of affection are limited to perfunctory, mechanical kisses

43. Is animated when interacting with baby

44. Realistic expectations regarding baby's self-control of affect

45. Praises baby

46. Molds baby to self when holding

47. Displays affection by touching, caressing

48. Points to and identifies interesting things in baby's environment

49. Seeks interactions with baby

50. Creates interesting physical environment for baby

51. Provides age appropriate toys

52. Uses verbal prohibitions

53. Slows pace down, waits for baby's response during interactions

54. Teases baby to promote continued interaction/contact

55. Respects baby as an individual

56. Has lots of "shoulds" or mind sets about baby's care, has rigid routines

57. Shows delight in interaction with baby

58. Considers baby's needs when structuring environment

59. Lets baby carry on with appropriate activity without interruption

60. Scolds or criticizes baby

61. Is irritated by demands of baby for physical contact or proximity

62. Interprets cues correctly as evidenced by baby's response

63. Signals awareness of baby's distress to baby, but does not intervene

64. Greets baby when re-entering room

65. Responds to baby's signals

66. Consistently unresponsive

67. Responds only to frequent, prolonged or intense distress

68. Interactions appropriately vigorous and exciting as judged from baby's responses

69. Notices when baby is distressed

70. Response delayed such that baby cannot connect mother's responses with the action that initiated it

71. Builds on the focus of baby's attention

72. Notices when baby smiles and vocalizes

73. When irritated with baby, disengages or distances herself from interaction with baby

74. Anxious about baby's exploration

75. Encourages independent exploration of environment

76. Uses close bodily contact to soothe baby

77. Vocalizes to baby throughout the visit

78. Plays social games with baby

79. Distressed by baby's demands

80. Annoyed by baby's uncooperative behaviour

81. Spontaneously expresses positive feelings to baby

82. Physically restricts baby's movements while in proximity

83. Aloof when interacting with baby

84. Display of affect does not match baby's display of affect

85. Interactions with baby are incomplete

86. Terminates physical contact before baby is satisfied

87. Actively opposes baby's wishes

88. Interactions with baby are characterized by conflict

89. Interventions satisfy baby

90. Punitive or retaliatory during interactions with baby