PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

Literature suggests that child attachment and anxiety symptoms are related. The purpose of the present studywas to assess whether attachment patterns related differently to separation anxiety symptoms (fear of beingalone, and fear of abandonment). Three attachment patterns assessed were secure, avoidant and ambivalentattachment. The findings indicated that ambivalent attachment was related with higher separation anxietysymptoms (r=.57) compared to avoidant attachment (r=.53). More so, ambivalent attachment was also relatedto the fear of abandonment (r=.52), while avoidant attachment was related with the fear of being alone (r=.63).In conclusion, consistently responsive mothers are always receptive and supportive of their children's mentalhealth.