Over the past 15 years the status of the B4 category in Ainsworth's classification system for the Strange Situation has remained unclear, especially as regards the question whether it belongs to the B or the C category. As 22 of a sample of 136 Dutch children were classified as B4, their behavior could be analysed in some detail. This resulted in a characterization of B4-children whom we propose to call ‘dependency attached’. The borderline status or hybrid character of the group was confirmed as the B4-children have ‘many reactions similar to those of C-children but differ from them in showing less resistant behavior.
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