The purpose of this article is to correlate the links between infant attachment to mother and eating disorder behavior. Throughout this article, the two main theorists examined are Mary S. Ainsworth and John Bowlby. Mary S. Ainsworth's framework of attachment theory began in Uganda, while studying individual differences in infant behavior, known as the Strange Situation. John Bowlby invented the theory of infant attachment to the mother, based on psychoanalytic object relations theory and the conceptualization that infants need healthy maternal bonds to later function as adolescents. Eating disorders have reached epidemic proportions over the past 30 years. Research shows that people with eating disorders have higher levels of insecure attachment than people without eating disorders. Today, mental health professionals are realizing that both women and men suffer from eating disorders. Eating disorders have been recognized across all socioeconomic and racial groups around the world. In summary, the present study will differentiate whether prior attachment difficulties relate to eating disorder symptomatology.Keywords: Infant-mother attachment, eating disorders, avoidant, secureIntroductionJohn BowlbyJohn Bowlby began researching his theory, after graduating from Cambridge University, he began to conduct research on his theory. his observations while working in a group home for boys with behavioral problems. Bowlby believed that the attachment process involves the cognitive and emotional characteristics of the attachment figure, the psyche, and the environment, based on experience (Cassidy & Shaver, 1999). Attachment theory began by emphasizing the existence of normal and abnormal behavior...middle of article...sensitive mothers were more likely to be classified as insecure” ( Bretherton, 1992, p.770). “Secure attachments provide children with a sense of comfort and predictability, encouraging them to approach rather than avoid new developmental and interpersonal challenges” (Rice & Mirzadeh, 2000, p. 239). For example, infants cried when separated from their mothers, but when the mother returned, the infant was calm and soothed by the mother's voice (Karen, 1994). “Mothers of securely attached infants were found to be more sensitive to their infants' feeding cues and cries and readily returned smiles” (Karen, 1998, p.2). Approximately 65 to 66 percent of American infants have secure attachment relationships (Shaver & Cassidy, 1999). Children with a history of secure attachment are more prone to psychological stress and anxiety in adolescence.