Testing the Incremental Value of a Separate Measure for Secure Attachment Relative to a Measure for Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrijn Brenning ◽  
Bart Soenens ◽  
Caroline Braet
Keyword(s):  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Avoidant Attachment ◽  
Child Attachment ◽  
Incremental Value ◽  
Parent Child

Abstract. Research on attachment in middle childhood and early adolescence has typically relied on either unidimensional measures of attachment security (vs. insecurity) or on differentiated measures of attachment anxiety and avoidance. This study addressed the question whether there is a need to add an explicit measure of security when operationalizing parent-child attachment in terms of anxiety and avoidance. Both dimensional (i.e., regression analyses) and person-centered analyses (i.e., cluster analysis) are used in this study (N = 276, 53% boys, mean age = 10.66) to examine the incremental value of a scale for attachment security (in this study, the Security Scale) in addition to a scale for attachment anxiety and avoidance (in this study, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised – Child version; ECR-RC). The present results suggest that an assessment of anxious and avoidant attachment (using the ECR-RC) may suffice to capture the quality of parent-child attachment in middle childhood and early adolescence.

scholarly journals Maternal Reflective Functioning and Attachment Security in Girls and Boys: A Closer Look into the Middle Childhood

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11261
Author(s):  
Danguolė Čekuolienė ◽  
Lina Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė ◽  
Izabelė Grauslienė ◽  
Asta Adler ◽  
Rasa Barkauskienė
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Reflective Functioning ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Child Attachment ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Parent Development ◽  
Maternal Reflective Functioning

Child attachment undergoes major changes during middle childhood. Maternal reflective functioning (RF) is hypothesized to be an important correlate of a child’s attachment security during this period; however, the child’s gender role in this association has not been examined yet. In the present study, we used 64 mother-child (6–11 years old) dyads from a community sample to analyze the association between maternal RF and child attachment security and whether this link is moderated by gender. Maternal RF was assessed on the Parent Development Interview Revised (PDI-R2) and child attachment classifications were examined by the Child Attachment Interview (CAI). Results revealed the positive and statistically significant association between maternal RF and child attachment security in the whole sample. Further evaluations of this link in the groups of girls and boys separately indicated its significance for girls only. Finally, moderation analysis demonstrated the relation between child attachment security and maternal RF to be moderated by gender. These findings provide a new knowledge on gender role in attachment security in relation to maternal RF as well as suggest possible differentiation in the correlates on the pathway of secure attachment between girls and boys during middle childhood.

scholarly journals (In)variability of Attachment in Middle Childhood: Secure Base Script Evidence in Diary Data

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Bosmans ◽  
Magali Van de Walle ◽  
Lien Goossens ◽  
Eva Ceulemans
Keyword(s):  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Secure Base ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Attachment Figure ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Diary Studies ◽  
Secure Base Script ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Insight Into

Secure attachment is characterised by a secure base script regarding the attachment figure as a source for support. Having such a cognitive script should affect the stability of state attachment. Specifically, incongruent attachment-related information should get assimilated to this secure base script, leading to state attachment scores that hardly fluctuate. For children without a script, state attachment should vary depending on the quality of attachment-related interactions. Two diary studies were carried out in 9- to 13-year-old children. Results suggested that with assimilation: (1) securely attached children fluctuated less in their daily attachment-related appraisals; (2) fluctuations were related to conflicts with mother; (3) this relation was stronger for less securely attached children. Consequently, these studies further support the secure base script hypothesis and provide insight into the interplay of trait and state components of attachment-related appraisals.

scholarly journals Early caregiving experiences shape adolescent attachment profiles

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Adolescent Attachment

Secure attachment in adolescents seems to be associated with robust mental health and social skills. How the quality of early caregiving impacts on attachment security in adolescence, however, is less clear.

scholarly journals Early Attachment to Mothers and Fathers: Contributions to Preschoolers' Emotional Regulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Fernandes ◽  
Marilia Fernandes ◽  
António J. Santos ◽  
Marta Antunes ◽  
Lígia Monteiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Nuclear Families ◽  
Attachment Relationships ◽  
Preschool Classrooms ◽  
Child Attachment ◽  
Parent Child

Children acquire and develop emotional regulatory skills in the context of parent-child attachment relationships, nonetheless empirical studies have focused mainly on mother and less information is available regarding the role of both parent-child attachment relationships. Furthermore, despite its importance, there is no information regarding preschool years. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the potential influences of both mother-child and father-child attachments on preschooler's later emotion regulation observed in the peer group. Fifty-three Portuguese nuclear families (mother, father and focal child) participated in the study; 47% of the children were boys and 53% were girls. Attachment Security was assessed at home using the Attachment Behavior Q-set when children were 3 years of age, and emotion regulation was observed in the preschool classrooms attended by the children at age 5, using the California child Q-sort to derive an Emotion Regulation Q-Scale. Results showed that the combined influence of both parent-child attachment security predicted better emotion regulation results, than did the specific contributions of each parent per se. Findings are consistent with integrative approaches that highlight the value of including both mother- and father-child attachment relationships, as well as their combined effect, when studying emotion regulation.

Child attachment security in gay father surrogacy families: Parents as safe havens and secure bases during middle childhood

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Carone ◽  
Roberto Baiocco ◽  
Vittorio Lingiardi ◽  
Kathryn Kerns
Keyword(s):  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Child Attachment

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF SAME-AGE AND MIXED-AGE GROUPING IN DAY CARE ON PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENT SECURITY

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 595-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina M. Pool ◽  
Catrien C.J.H. Bijleveld ◽  
Louis W.C. Tavecchio
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Attachment Relationships ◽  
Daycare Centers ◽  
Child Attachment ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Mixed Age ◽  
Q Sort ◽  
Parent Child

This pilot study investigates the effect on parent-child attachment relationships of same-age versus mixed-age grouping in daycare centers in the Netherlands. For 45 children in the age range of 2 to 6 years, parent-child attachment relationships were assessed by means of the Attachment Q-Sort. It was found that attachment security did not differ significantly for children who had been in mixed-age or in same-age grouping, or who had experienced a change of daycare center.

A Systematic Review of Representational and Behavioral Measures of Parent-Child Attachment Available for Middle Childhood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marissa Gastelle ◽  
Kathryn A. Kerns
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Validity Evidence ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Child Attachment ◽  
Parent Child

A variety of parent-child attachment measures, representing a range of conceptual approaches, have been adapted for use in middle childhood. A recent surge in studies using the new methods makes a comprehensive review of these measures timely. This systematic review of 67 studies covers representational and behavioral measures of parent-child attachment used with children 9-12 years old. This paper aims to evaluate parent-child attachment measurements with an emphasis on understanding their theoretical bases in addition to considering the available validity evidence. Findings identify several independently well-validated representational measures, and they highlight a continued need to investigate direct comparisons of the measures, as very little research has considered how the measures relate to each other, both conceptually and empirically. Behavioral measures of attachment in middle childhood, which are relatively new, are identified as potentially important in developing a better understanding of attachment measurement in this age group.

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