1
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Groh AM, Xu N, Patrick MM, Robinson R, Hoeferle B, Haydon KC. Deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content in the attachment script assessment: stability over time and significance for parenting behavior and physiology. Attach Hum Dev 2024; 26:233-252. [PMID: 38989771 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2024.2367328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
This study examined the stability of Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content and their significance for parenting outcomes in mothers (Mage = 31 years; 78% White/European American) and 6-month-old infants. Comparable to ASA secure base script knowledge (SBSK), mothers' ASA deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content were significantly, moderately stable over two years (r's = .40 - .43). Mothers' ASA hyperactivation and anomalous content were associated with greater maternal intrusiveness, whereas ASA deactivation was associated with greater detachment and less intrusiveness. Only ASA anomalous content was associated with lower maternal sensitivity. Mothers' ASA deactivation was associated with less dynamic change in respiratory sinus arrhythmia during the Still-Face Procedure-reflective of limited mobilization of physiological resources to support responding to infants. Findings support the validity of ASA deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content scripts, and demonstrate their utility in examining adult attachment stability and predictive significance for parent-child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Groh
- Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nanxi Xu
- Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Madeline M Patrick
- Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rachael Robinson
- Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brooke Hoeferle
- College of Integrative Sciences & Arts, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA
| | - Katherine C Haydon
- Psychology & Education Department, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, USA
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2
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Yang R, Gu Y, Cui L, Li X, Way N, Yoshikawa H, Chen X, Okazaki S, Zhang G, Liang Z, Waters TEA. A cognitive script perspective on how early caregiving experiences inform adolescent peer relationships and loneliness: A 14-year longitudinal study of Chinese families. Dev Sci 2024:e13522. [PMID: 38676297 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Leveraging data from a longitudinal study of Chinese families (n = 364), this research aims to understand the role of secure base script knowledge as a cognitive mechanism by which early caregiving experiences inform adolescents' friendship quality and feelings of loneliness. Results showed that observed maternal sensitivity at 14 and 24 months old was negatively associated with adolescents' self-reported conflicts with close friends (β = -0.17, p = 0.044) at 15 years old, and this association was partially mediated by their secure base script knowledge assessed at 10 years old. Further, secure base script knowledge moderated the link between adolescents' friend conflict and feelings of loneliness (β = -0.15, p = 0.037). The results support a cognitive script perspective on the association between early caregiving experiences and later socio-emotional adjustment. Furthermore, this study adds to the developmental literature that has previously focused on more stringent and authoritarian aspects of parenting in Chinese families, thereby contributing to our understanding of how sensitive and supportive parenting practices contribute to socio-emotional development outside of Western contexts. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Maternal sensitivity during infancy and toddlerhood has a long-term association with adolescents' friendship quality and adolescents' secure base script partially explains the association. First evidence to demonstrate that the secure base script in attachment relationships mediates the association between early maternal caregiving and socio-emotional development in Chinese adolescents. Adolescents lacking secure base script knowledge are particularly vulnerable to feelings of loneliness when facing high levels of conflict in close friendships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Department of Psychology, New York University- Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Yufei Gu
- Department of Psychology, New York University- Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Lixian Cui
- Division of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Division of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | - Niobe Way
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
| | | | - Xinyin Chen
- Human Development and Quantitative Methods Division, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sumie Okazaki
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Guangzhen Zhang
- Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zongbao Liang
- Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Theodore E A Waters
- Department of Psychology, New York University- Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
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3
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Nivison MD, Dagan O, Booth-LaForce C, Roisman GI, Waters TEA. Caregiving Antecedents of Secure Base Script Knowledge Inferred from the Adult Attachment Interview: A Comparative, Pre-Registered Analysis. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2024; 33:e2410. [PMID: 38836131 PMCID: PMC11147134 DOI: 10.1002/icd.2410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Attachment theorists claim that the quality of parental support is internalized as a mental representation of early relationship experiences. Increasingly, the content of attachment representations is evaluated by studying the extent to which adults demonstrate knowledge of the secure base script, either in the context of the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) or during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAIsbs). Preliminary evidence from a high-risk sample showed that AAIsbs was more strongly associated with the quality of antecedent caregiving than was the more traditional approach to the measurement of adult attachment focused on the coherence of adults' AAI discourse (Waters, et al., 2017). Drawing on new coding of data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), we found that AAIsbs around age 18 years was significantly predicted by observations of maternal (r = .21) and paternal (r = .12) sensitivity assessed prospectively through age 15 years, and with attachment security in the first three years of life (r =.08). AAIsbs was also associated with existing measures of adult attachment (rs = .31-.42). Pre-registered analyses revealed that AAIsbs performed in a manner roughly comparable to traditional, though more labor intensive approaches to coding the AAI. Based on all available evidence from the SECCYD and the pragmatic challenges and advantages of different narrative methods for assessing adult attachment representations (Booth-LaForce & Roisman, 2014; Steele et al., 2014), researchers seeking to measure attachment representations should strongly consider the strengths of the ASA in term of practicality, performance, and adaptability to various age groups across development (Waters & Waters, 2021).
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4
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Cuyvers B, van IJzendoorn M, Bakermans-Kranenburg M, Verhaeghe J, Molenberghs G, Lafit G, Houbrechts M, Bosmans G. Oxytocin and state attachment responses to secure base support after stress in middle childhood. Attach Hum Dev 2024; 26:1-21. [PMID: 38240065 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2024.2304874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
We tried to replicate the finding that receiving care increases children's oxytocin and secure state attachment levels, and tested whether secure trait attachment moderates the oxytocin and state attachment response to care. 109 children (9-11 years old; M = 9.59; SD = 0.63; 34.9% boys) participated in a within-subject experiment. After stress induction (Trier Social Stress Test), children first remained alone and then received maternal secure base support. Salivary oxytocin was measured eight times. Secure trait and state attachment were measured with questionnaires, and Secure Base Script knowledge was assessed. Oxytocin levels increased after receiving secure base support from mother after having been alone. Secure state attachment changed less. Trait attachment and Secure Base Script knowledge did not moderate oxytocin or state attachment responses to support. This might mean that, regardless of the attachment history, in-the-moment positive attachment experiences might have a beneficial effect on trait attachment development in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bien Cuyvers
- Clinical Psychology Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Child & Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg
- William James Center for Research, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Psychology, Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Verhaeghe
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Ginette Lafit
- Methodology of Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Melisse Houbrechts
- Clinical Psychology Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Child & Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Clinical Psychology Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Child & Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
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5
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van Aswegen T, Seedat S, van Straten A, Goossens L, Bosmans G. Depression in middle childhood: secure base script as a cognitive diathesis in the relationship between daily stress and depressive symptoms. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:353-367. [PMID: 37078577 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2204837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
A better understanding of protective factors against childhood depression may allow for the mitigation of severe and chronic symptoms and the timely implementation of intervention strategies. This study investigated the protective effect of having a secure base script on depressive symptoms when children face daily stressors. To test this hypothesis, moderation analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study with 378 children (48.5% boys, 51.5%) aged 8-12 years (M = 10.20; SD = 0.57). The results provided some support for the moderation effect when secure base script knowledge was investigated as a categorical variable in middle childhood. However, the results did not support the moderation effect when investigating secure base script as a continuous variable. Therefore, future investigations may need to address whether a categorical approach could better elucidate the protective role of secure base script knowledge in childhood depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- T van Aswegen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A van Straten
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Goossens
- Department of School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - G Bosmans
- Department of Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Belgium
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6
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Eller J, Girme YU, Don BP, Rholes WS, Mickelson KD, Simpson JA. Here one time, gone the next: Fluctuations in support received and provided predict changes in relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood. J Pers Soc Psychol 2023; 124:971-1000. [PMID: 36355685 PMCID: PMC10101879 DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Extant research has demonstrated that higher mean (average) levels of social support often produce robust relational benefits. However, partners may not maintain the same level of support across time, resulting in potential fluctuations (i.e., within-person variations across time) in support. Despite the theorizing and initial research on fluctuations in relationship-relevant thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, little is known about (a) who is most likely to fluctuate in support and (b) the degree to which fluctuations, in combination with and beyond mean levels, impact relationships across time. The current preregistered research examined two dyadic longitudinal samples of first-time parents undergoing the transition to parenthood, a chronically stressful time that often entails the provision and receipt of support involving one's partner. Across both studies, we found that individuals who reported greater mental health problems, more situational stress, and more destructive dispositional attributes tended to report lower mean levels and higher fluctuations in provided and received support at subsequent assessments. Moreover, we found that greater fluctuations in perceptions and observations of support predicted decreases in relationship satisfaction over time, above and beyond the effect of mean levels. Implications for theory and studying nonlinear effects in relationships are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brian P Don
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
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7
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Bryant RA. Attachment processes in posttraumatic stress disorder: A review of mechanisms to advance theories and treatments. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 99:102228. [PMID: 36493729 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Current conceptualisations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are driven by biological, learning, and cognitive models that have shaped current treatments of the disorder. The strong influence of these models has resulted in a relative neglect of social mechanisms that can influence traumatic stress. There is abundant evidence from experimental, observational, and clinical studies that social factors can moderate many of the mechanisms articulated in prevailing models of PTSD. In this review it is proposed that attachment theory provides a useful framework to complement existing models of PTSD because it provides explanatory value for social factors can interact with biological, learning, and cognitive processes that shape traumatic stress response. The review provides an overview of attachment theory in the context of traumatic stress, outlines the evidence for how attachment factors can moderate stress responses and PTSD, and considers how harnessing attachment processes may augment recovery from and treatment of PTSD. This review emphasizes that rather than conceptualizing attachment theory as an independent theory of traumatic stress, there is much to gain by integrating attachment mechanisms into existing models of PTSD to accommodate the interactions between cognitive, biological, and attachment processes.
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8
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Nivison MD, DeWitt KM, Roisman GI, Waters TEA. Scripted attachment representations of current romantic relationships: measurement and validation. Attach Hum Dev 2022; 24:561-579. [PMID: 34963416 PMCID: PMC9237183 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.2020855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This report describes the development and validation of a new coding system for the Current Relationship Interview (CRI) that assesses individual differences in secure base script knowledge with respect to adult romantic partners. Drawing on data from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (N = 116) a coding system was developed to parallel the secure base script coding system for the Adult Attachment Interview. Specifically, CRIs conducted in adulthood were re-coded for the extent to which the interviews reflected script-like expectations that romantic partners are available and provide effective support in times of distress (CRIsbs). CRIsbs was moderately associated with the traditional coding system for the CRI and showed concurrent and/or predictive validity in relation to observed and self-reported romantic relationship quality as well as interview ratings of the effectiveness with which adults engaged in romantic relationships. Theoretical and practical benefits of the CRIsbs coding system are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa D. Nivison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Katie M. DeWitt
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Glenn I. Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Theodore E. A. Waters
- Department of Psychology, New York University – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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9
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Eller J, Magro SW, Roisman GI, Simpson JA. The predictive significance of fluctuations in early maternal sensitivity for secure base script knowledge and relationship effectiveness in adulthood. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 2022; 39:3044-3058. [PMID: 36381417 PMCID: PMC9662749 DOI: 10.1177/02654075221077640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Attachment theory suggests that both the quality and consistency of early sensitive care should shape an individual's attachment working models and relationship outcomes across the lifespan. To date, most research has focused on the quality of early sensitive caregiving, finding that receiving higher quality care predicts more secure working models and better long-term relationship outcomes than receiving lower quality care. However, it remains unclear whether or how the consistency of early sensitive care impacts attachment working models and adult relationship functioning. In this research, we utilized data from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation to examine to what extent the quality (i.e., mean levels) and consistency (i.e., within-person fluctuations) in behaviorally coded maternal sensitive care assessed 7 times from 3 months to 13 years prospectively predicts secure base script knowledge and relationship effectiveness (i.e., interpersonal competence in close relationships) in adulthood. We found that larger fluctuations and lower mean levels of early maternal sensitivity jointly predict lower relationship effectiveness in adulthood via lower secure base script knowledge. These findings reveal that nonlinear models of early caregiving experiences more completely account for relationship outcomes across the lifespan, beyond what traditional linear models have documented. Implications for attachment theory and longitudinal methods are discussed.
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10
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Miljkovitch R, Danner-Touati C, Gery I, Bernier A, Sirparanta A, Deborde AS. The role of multiple attachments in intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse among male victims. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 128:104864. [PMID: 33358280 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to Finkelhor (1984), difficulties child sexual abusers have in establishing adaptive adult relationships are a consequence of attachment problems with parents. Research shows that insecure attachment is associated with both the experience of child sexual abuse (CSA) as a victim and perpetration of CSA as an adult. Attachment may thus be a key factor in intergenerational transmission (IT) of CSA. OBJECTIVE The study aims to examine the direct, interactive, and mediated effects linking attachment in different relationships (mother, father, romantic partner) to IT of CSA among male victims. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Thirty-two abusing and 27 non-abusing male CSA survivors were recruited, respectively, in a prison and via networks of former foster children or CSA victims. METHOD All participants completed the Attachment Multiple Model Interview to assess attachment along four dimensions (security, deactivation, hyperactivation, and disorganization) in the relationship with mother, father, and partner. RESULTS Partial least square modeling suggests that the partner carries forward (mediates) the increased risk of committing sexual abuse associated with insecure/disorganized attachment with the father. A significant partner-mother interaction also suggests that the deleterious effects of attachment to the mother in terms of committing CSA are countered by more secure/organized attachment to the partner. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the pivotal role of the romantic partner in IT of CSA. Beyond early intervention, therapy in adulthood aimed at fostering adaptive ways of finding emotional security in the relationship with an adult could thus be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaële Miljkovitch
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Camille Danner-Touati
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Isabelle Gery
- Penitentiary Center Poitiers-Divonne, Champ des Grolles - RD742, CS 80029, 86370, Vivonne, France.
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Qc H3C 3J7, Canada.
| | - Aino Sirparanta
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Anne-Sophie Deborde
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
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11
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Almeida AS, Giger JC, Mendonça S, Fuertes M, Nunes C. Emotional Availability in Mother-Child and Father-Child Interactions as Predictors of Child's Attachment Representations in Adoptive Families. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084720. [PMID: 35457588 PMCID: PMC9028699 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Emotional availability (EA) in parent-child interactions is associated with positive child outcomes, including attachment security. However, little is known about EA in adoptive families. This study investigated the associations between secure representations of attachment in adopted children and the adoptive parents' EA. The participants (n = 75) included 26 mothers, 23 fathers, and 26 children who were aged 3 to 9 years. Children completed the Attachment Story Completion Task. Adult-child dyadic relationships were assessed using the EA® System. The results showed that the children's and parents' EA, age when adopted, and time elapsed since adoption were associated with more secure children's attachment representations. Implications for family support and public policy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Susana Almeida
- Psychology Research Centre (CIP) & Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; (J.-C.G.); (C.N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jean-Christophe Giger
- Psychology Research Centre (CIP) & Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; (J.-C.G.); (C.N.)
| | - Sandra Mendonça
- CDI.UP—Cooperativa de Desenvolvimento Infantil e União Parental, CRL, 8125-196 Quarteira, Portugal;
| | - Marina Fuertes
- Centro de Psicologia da Universidade do Porto (CPUP) & Escola Superior de Educação (ESELX-IPL), Campus de Benfica do IPL, 1549-003 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Cristina Nunes
- Psychology Research Centre (CIP) & Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; (J.-C.G.); (C.N.)
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12
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Fitter MH, Stern JA, Straske MD, Allard T, Cassidy J, Riggins T. Mothers’ Attachment Representations and Children’s Brain Structure. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:740195. [PMID: 35370579 PMCID: PMC8967255 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.740195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ample research demonstrates that parents’ experience-based mental representations of attachment—cognitive models of close relationships—relate to their children’s social-emotional development. However, no research to date has examined how parents’ attachment representations relate to another crucial domain of children’s development: brain development. The present study is the first to integrate the separate literatures on attachment and developmental social cognitive neuroscience to examine the link between mothers’ attachment representations and 3- to 8-year-old children’s brain structure. We hypothesized that mothers’ attachment representations would relate to individual differences in children’s brain structures involved in stress regulation—specifically, amygdala and hippocampal volumes—in part via mothers’ responses to children’s distress. We assessed 52 mothers’ attachment representations (secure base script knowledge on the Attachment Script Assessment and self-reported attachment avoidance and anxiety on the Experiences in Close Relationships scale) and children’s brain structure. Mothers’ secure base script knowledge was significantly related to children’s smaller left amygdala volume but was unrelated to hippocampal volume; we found no indirect links via maternal responses to children’s distress. Exploratory analyses showed associations between mothers’ attachment representations and white matter and thalamus volumes. Together, these preliminary results suggest that mothers’ attachment representations may be linked to the development of children’s neural circuitry related to stress regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan H. Fitter
- Maryland Child and Family Development Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Megan H. Fitter,
| | - Jessica A. Stern
- BabyLab, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Martha D. Straske
- Maryland Child and Family Development Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Tamara Allard
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Jude Cassidy
- Maryland Child and Family Development Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
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13
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Maternal secure base scripts predict child attachment security in an at-risk sample. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 66:101658. [PMID: 34768047 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that individuals possess attachment, or secure base, scripts based on experiences with attachment figures, and these attachment scripts predict important outcomes such as caregiving behaviors and offspring social-emotional adjustment. However, less is known about the association between parents' secure base scripts and child attachment security within at-risk samples, i.e., those known to be at greater risk for insecurity. The current study examined the relation between maternal secure base script representations and child attachment security by extending the use of the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA; Waters & Rodrigues-Doolabh, 2004) to an at-risk sample. One-hundred mother-child pairs from a larger longitudinal study participated; the larger study focused on psychosocial risks related to parenting in a primarily low-income sample. In the present study, overall ASA script scores were first compared with two independent middle-class samples, one from a U.S. study, the other an international study. Scores and statistical patterns were comparable across all samples, indicating that the ASA was successful in tapping into maternal secure base script knowledge in our at-risk sample. The relation between maternal script scores and children's Attachment Q-Set (AQS; Waters, 1995) security scores were examined at ages 1 and 2 years. Dependency scores from the AQS were also included to establish discriminant validity for the script scores. Results indicated that maternal script knowledge predicted child security, while showing no relation to dependency scores. Findings indicate that the ASA can be an important and viable measure for assessing attachment representations in at-risk samples of caregivers.
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14
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Dagan O, Buisman RSM, Nivison MD, Waters TEA, Vaughn BE, Bost KK, Bleil ME, Vandell DL, Booth-LaForce C, Roisman GI. Does secure base script knowledge mediate associations between observed parental caregiving during childhood and adult romantic relationship quality and health? Attach Hum Dev 2021; 23:643-664. [PMID: 33107784 PMCID: PMC8076343 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2020.1836858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, attachment representations are being assessed via secure base script knowledge - the degree to which individuals show awareness of the temporal-causal schema that summarizes the basic features of seeking and receiving effective support from caregivers during times of need. Limited research has assessed the links between secure base script knowledge and aspects of adult functioning and the role that secure base script knowledge may play in accounting for associations between early caregiving quality and adulthood functioning. We used follow-up assessments of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development cohort (N = 585) to examine whether secure base script knowledge at age 18 years: (a) is associated with later romantic relationship quality, depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) at age 26 years, and (b) mediates expected associations between the quality of maternal and paternal sensitivity across the first 15 years of life and age-26 outcomes. More access to, and elaborated knowledge of the secure base script predicted less extreme hostility with romantic partners, and better emotional and physical health. Moreover, secure base script knowledge mediated the links between early maternal and paternal sensitivity and both later romantic partner hostility and depressive symptoms, but not BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Dagan
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Marissa D. Nivison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, MN, USA
| | | | - Brian E. Vaughn
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Kelly K. Bost
- Human and Community Development, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Maria E. Bleil
- School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Glenn I. Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, MN, USA
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15
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Waters TEA, Yang R, Finet C, Verhees MWFT, Bosmans G. An empirical test of prototype and revisionist models of attachment stability and change from middle childhood to adolescence: A 6-year longitudinal study. Child Dev 2021; 93:225-236. [PMID: 34549815 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We examined the prototype v. revisionist models of attachment stability with a five-wave, 6-year, longitudinal study of attachment security from middle childhood to adolescence in a White Western European sample (N = 157; Wave 1 Mage = 10.91, SD = 0.87; 52% female). Attachment was assessed using both questionnaire (Experiences in Close Relationships) and narrative-based measures (Attachment Script Assessment). In addition, a set of potential moderators of prototype-like stability were examined. Results indicated that data from both attachment assessments best fit the prototype model. Moderator analyses indicated that male sex significantly undermined the influence of an attachment prototype and parent-child conflict and parental divorce enhanced the influence of an attachment prototype on stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore E A Waters
- Department of Psychology, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Psychology, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Chloë Finet
- Parenting and Special Education Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martine W F T Verhees
- Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Clinical Psychology Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Mikulincer M, Shaver PR. Enhancing the "broaden-and-build" cycle of attachment security as a means of overcoming prejudice, discrimination, and racism. Attach Hum Dev 2021; 24:260-273. [PMID: 34499022 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.1976921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Attachment theory emphasizes both the importance of supportive relationship partners, beginning in infancy, for developing a sense of security, and the adaptive benefits of this sense. In this article, we consider bolstering the sense of attachment security as a means of reducing and overcoming prejudice, discrimination, and racism. We review basic concepts of attachment theory, focusing on what we call the broaden-and-build cycle of attachment security. We review studies showing that the sense of attachment security is associated with reduced prejudice and less discriminatory attitudes and behavior toward people outside one's own social or racial group. Finally, we propose theoretical ideas and research suggesting that attachment security can protect against the adverse psychological effects of others' acts of prejudice and discrimination toward oneself. We conclude that, despite large gaps in the research literature, attachment theory is a useful conceptual framework for understanding and combatting prejudice, discrimination, and racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Mikulincer
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Phillip R Shaver
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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17
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VanMeter F, Nivison MD, Englund MM, Carlson EA, Roisman GI. Childhood abuse and neglect and self-reported symptoms of psychopathology through midlife. Dev Psychol 2021; 57:824-836. [PMID: 34166025 PMCID: PMC8284929 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although abuse and neglect in the early years of life have been reliably linked to poor mental health outcomes in childhood, only a few studies have examined whether the predictive significance of childhood abuse and neglect endures for symptoms of psychopathology into adulthood. Here we examined to what extent prospectively assessed child abuse and neglect is associated with self-reported symptoms of psychopathology measured from ages 23 through 39 years, controlling for early demographic covariates and self-reported symptoms of psychopathology measured at age 16 years. The sample included 140 participants from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. Participants were 49% female and 69% White/non-Hispanic. At the time of their child's birth, 48% of the mothers were teenagers (M = 20.5 years, SD = 3.74), 65% were single, and 42% had completed less than a high school education. Results indicated that childhood abuse and neglect was robustly associated with symptoms of psychopathology in adulthood. Exploratory analyses focusing on specific parametrizations of abuse/neglect suggested that abuse perpetrated by maternal figures (rather than paternal or nonparental figures) was uniquely associated with high levels of self-reported symptoms of psychopathology in adulthood. We found no evidence that any subtype of abuse and/or neglect or abuse/neglect during any particular phase of development uniquely predicted symptoms of psychopathology after controlling for relevant covariates. These results highlight the long-lasting significance of childhood abuse and neglect for reports of mental health in adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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18
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Increasing secure base script knowledge among parents with Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:554-564. [PMID: 33487189 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated whether Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), a parenting intervention, altered the attachment representations of parents (average age of 34.2 years) who had been referred to Child Protective Services (CPS) due to risk for child maltreatment when their children were infants. Approximately 7 years after completing the intervention, parents who had been randomized to receive ABC (n = 43) exhibited greater secure base script knowledge than parents who had been randomized to receive a control intervention (n = 51). Low-risk parents (n = 79) exhibited greater secure base script knowledge than CPS-referred parents who had received a control intervention. However, levels of secure base script knowledge did not differ between low-risk parents and CPS-referred parents who had received the ABC intervention. In addition, secure base script knowledge was positively associated with parental sensitivity during interactions with their 8-year-old children among low-risk and CPS-referred parents. Mediational analyses supported the idea that the ABC intervention enhanced parents' sensitivity 7 years later indirectly via increases in parents' secure base script knowledge.
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19
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Ge Y, Shuai MQ, Luo J, Wenger JL, Lu CY. Associated Effects of Meaning in Life and Social Adjustment Among Chinese Undergraduate Students With Left-Behind Experiences in the Post-epidemic Period. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:771082. [PMID: 34925099 PMCID: PMC8682051 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.771082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought about radical changes in social life. The study focuses on a special group, Chinese undergraduate students with left-behind experiences. Specifically, the study addresses how such students feel and grasp the meaning in life and how they adapt to the current social environment after experiencing the impermanence of life. The correlation between the meaning in life and social adjustment in the post-epidemic period is evaluated. Methods: The Meaning in Life Scale and the Social Adjustment Scale were used to test 988 undergraduate students. Multi-factor analysis, correlation, regression, and dominance analysis were performed on the test results. Results: (1) During the epidemic, Chinese undergraduate students generally had low meaning in life scores, including below-average values for life goals, and middle-range scores for social adjustment. (2) Having or not having left-behind experiences had an important influence on the meaning in life and social adjustment of undergraduates: undergraduates with left-behind experiences performed better than those without left-behind experiences in terms of meaning in life, while their social adjustment was weaker than those without left-behind experiences. (3) The zest for life and freedom of life of undergraduates in both groups negatively predicted social adjustment, and zest for life preferentially influenced social adjustment. Zest for life also had a significant effect on life value in the group without left-behind experiences. Zest for life was a priority factor influencing social adjustment. Conclusion: The epidemic and left-behind experiences are important factors influencing the relationship between meaning in life and social adjustment among Chinese undergraduate students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ge
- Key Laboratory of Emotion and Emotion and Mental Health in Chongqing, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, China.,School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mei-Qiong Shuai
- Key Laboratory of Emotion and Emotion and Mental Health in Chongqing, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Luo
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jay L Wenger
- Social Sciences Division, HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, Lancaster, PA, United States
| | - Cun-Yang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Emotion and Emotion and Mental Health in Chongqing, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, China
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20
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Waters TEA, Facompré CR, Dagan O, Martin J, Johnson WF, Young ES, Shankman J, Lee Y, Simpson JA, Roisman GI. Convergent validity and stability of secure base script knowledge from young adulthood to midlife. Attach Hum Dev 2020; 23:740-760. [PMID: 33043839 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2020.1832548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Attachment theory posits that early experiences with caregivers are made portable across development in the form of mental representations of attachment experiences. These representations, the secure base script included, are thought to be stable across time. Here, we present data from two studies. Study 1 (N = 141) examined the degree of empirical convergence between the two major measures of secure base script knowledge in Study 2, we examined stability of secure base script knowledge from late adolescence to midlife combining data from both a high- and normative-risk cohort (N = 113). Study 1 revealed evidence for convergent validity (r = .50) and Study 2 revealed moderate rank-order stability (r = .43), which was not moderated by cohort risk status. Results support the validity of secure base script knowledge assessments and prediction that attachment representations show moderate stability across early adulthood and into midlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore E A Waters
- Department of Psychology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Christopher R Facompré
- Department of Psychology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.,Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Or Dagan
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Jodi Martin
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Ethan S Young
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Yoojin Lee
- Department of Psychology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jeffry A Simpson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Glenn I Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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21
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Childhood abuse and neglect are prospectively associated with scripted attachment representations in young adulthood. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 33:1143-1155. [PMID: 32508299 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Waters, Ruiz, and Roisman (2017) recently published evidence based on the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (MLSRA) that sensitive caregiving during childhood is associated with higher levels of secure base script knowledge during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAIsbs). At present, however, little is known about the role of variation in atypical caregiving, including abuse and/or neglect, in explaining individual differences in AAIsbs. This study revisited data from the MLSRA (N = 157) to examine the association between experiencing abuse and/or neglect in the first 17.5 years of life and secure base script knowledge measured at ages 19 and 26 years. Several aspects of abuse and/or neglect experiences were assessed, including perpetrator identity, timing, and type. Regressions revealed that childhood abuse and/or neglect was robustly associated with lower AAIsbs scores in young adulthood, above and beyond previously documented associations with maternal sensitivity and demographic covariates. Follow-up analyses provided evidence that the predictive significance of abuse for secure base script knowledge was specific to perpetration by parental figures, rather than non-caregivers. Exploratory analyses indicated that abuse and/or neglect: (a) in middle childhood and adolescence (but not infancy and early childhood) and (b) physical abuse (but not sexual abuse or neglect) were uniquely associated with lower AAIsbs scores.
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22
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Bosmans G, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Vervliet B, Verhees MWFT, van IJzendoorn MH. A learning theory of attachment: Unraveling the black box of attachment development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:287-298. [PMID: 32276142 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Attachment is an inborn behavioral system that is biologically driven and essential for survival. During child development, individual differences in (in)secure attachment emerge. The development of different attachment behaviors has been traditionally explained as a process during which experiences with (lack of) responsive and supportive care are internalized into working models of attachment. However, this idea has been criticized for being vague and even untestable. With the aim of unraveling this black box, we propose to integrate evidence from conditioning research with attachment theory to formulate a Learning Theory of Attachment. In this review, we explain how the development of individual differences in attachment security at least partly follows the principles of classical and operant conditioning. We combine observed associations between attachment and neurocognitive and endocrinological (cortisol, oxytocin, and dopamine) processes with insights in conditioning dynamics to explain the development of attachment. This may contribute to the explanation of empirical observations in attachment research that are insufficiently accounted for by traditional attachment theory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bram Vervliet
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martine W F T Verhees
- Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Belgium; Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
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23
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Finet C, Waters TEA, Vermeer HJ, Juffer F, Van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Bosmans G. Attachment development in children adopted from China:The role of pre-adoption care and sensitive adoptive parenting. Attach Hum Dev 2020; 23:587-607. [DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2020.1760902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chloë Finet
- Department of Psychology, New York University - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Theodore E. A. Waters
- Department of Psychology, New York University - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Harriet J. Vermeer
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Femmie Juffer
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H. Van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Guy Bosmans
- Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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24
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Bat Or M, Ishai R. Adult’s ‘Person Picking an Apple from a Tree’ Drawings: Coherency, Reciprocity, and Attachment Styles. JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2019.1689212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Bat Or
- School of Creative Arts Therapies, Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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25
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Ruiz SK, Waters TEA, Yates TM. Children’s secure base script knowledge as a mediator between early life stress and later behavior problems. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 22:627-642. [DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1672079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Ruiz
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Tuppett M. Yates
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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26
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Autobiographical memory stability in the context of the Adult Attachment Interview. Cognition 2019; 191:103980. [PMID: 31238247 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that both attachment representations and autobiographical memories are moderately stable over time. Evidence examining the stability of attachment-related memories is scarce, although these memories of early caregiving are thought to underpin attachment representations. Connecting research on stability of autobiographical memories with research on attachment representation, the present study investigated the stability of attachment-related autobiographical memories, which were provided by 151 emerging adults in repeated Adult Attachment Interviews conducted seven years apart. Results show that these childhood memories are as stable as other memories from later periods of life, and that memory stability depends on retrieval mode, memory valence, autobiographical memory specificity, and memory content (i.e., maternal vs. paternal caregiver). Investigating the relation of stability of attachment-related memory content with attachment security revealed mainly an association with secure base script knowledge, supporting the notion that attachment representations are firmly rooted in semantic and autobiographical memory systems.
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27
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Waters TEA, Facompré CR, Dujardin A, Van De Walle M, Verhees M, Bodner N, Boldt LJ, Bosmans G. Taxometric Analysis of Secure Base Script Knowledge in Middle Childhood Reveals Categorical Latent Structure. Child Dev 2019; 90:694-707. [PMID: 30791090 PMCID: PMC6491231 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Taxometric investigation of scripted attachment representations in lateadolescence and adulthood suggests that variations in secure base script knowledge consist of differences in degree (dimensional latent structure) rather than differences in kind (categorical latent structure). However, the latent structure of secure base script knowledge in younger cohorts has gone unexplored. This study presents a downward extension of prior taxometric work using the middle childhood version of the Attachment Script Assessment in a cross-sectional sample of 639 normative-risk children (age 8 to 13 years; M = 10.77, SD = 1.06). Results suggest that secure base script knowledge in middle childhood is categorically distributed. Taxometric curves revealed three distinct taxa, highlighting discontinuity in the latent structure of scripted attachment representations across development.
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28
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Waters HS, Steiner MA, Zaman W, Apetroaia A, Crowell JA. IV. CO-CONSTRUCTION OF ATTACHMENT REPRESENTATIONS AND AFFECT-REGULATING COGNITIONS: THE ROLE OF MATERNAL ATTACHMENT SECURITY. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2019; 83:60-73. [PMID: 30520082 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
This study focused on the role of maternal co-construction skills in building attachment relevant representations in early childhood. Thirty-four mothers and their 4- to 5-year-old children were presented with two co-construction tasks, one an attachment storytelling task, the other an affect discussion task about emotion-laden situations. Maternal co-construction skills were assessed with several scales that scored the quality of the co-construction partnership, the mother's skill in prompting elaboration, and helping build an explanatory framework. Mothers completed the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) and the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) as well. Results indicated that mothers' secure base script knowledge (ASA) was significantly related to communication effectiveness, encouraging elaboration of storylines, and using open-ended and why questions. Maternal AAI coherence showed similar relations to co-construction support.
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29
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The Prevalence of PTSD Symptoms and Depressive Symptoms and Related Predictors in Children and Adolescents 3 Years After the Ya'an Earthquake. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2019; 50:300-307. [PMID: 30302576 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-018-0840-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and depressive symptoms in teenage survivors three years after the Ya'an earthquake to assess the differences between left-behind (LBC) and non-left-behind (non-LBC) children, and to explore predictors for PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms. The participants were assessed using children's revised impact of event scale (CRIES) and short mood and feelings questionnaire (SMFQ), after which t tests, Chi square tests, and a multivariate logistic regression were conducted to examine the differences in the LBC and identify the associated predictors. It was found that the PTSD and depressive symptom prevalences were 13.10% and 20.75%, with the LBC having a significantly higher prevalence than the non-LBC. The PTSD and depression symptoms tended to be highly comorbid (r = .52, p < .001). Being female, being aged less than 15, having siblings, being an LBC, and having higher exposure were found to be associated with PTSD and depressive symptoms.
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30
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Vaughn BE, Posada G, Veríssimo M. Scripted knowledge about attachment and social competence in preschoolers: overview. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 21:219-224. [PMID: 30873907 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1575545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The papers in this special issue of Attachment & Human Development address questions concerning relations between attachment representations and social competence during early childhood in samples from five different countries. All studies examined these questions using the concept of the "secure base script" that has been widely studied in samples of adults, adolescents, and school-age children. In all samples, the secure base script was scored from attachment-relevant narratives elicited from children in a doll-play task. Consistent with existing literatures, the secure base script score had positive and significant associations with adult ratings of child social competence, even in the presence of potential confounding covariates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Vaughn
- a Human Development and Family Studies , Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
| | - German Posada
- b Human Development and Family Studies , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA
| | - Manuela Veríssimo
- c William James Center for Research , ISPA - University Institute , Lisbon , Portugal
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31
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Nóblega M, Bárrig-Jo P, Gonzalez L, Fourment K, Salinas-Quiroz F, Vizuet A, Posada G. Secure base scripted knowledge and preschoolers' social competence in samples from Mexico and Peru. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 21:253-264. [PMID: 30856055 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1575548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A central hypothesis in attachment theory poses that child-mother relationships have implications for children's social competence. A key task for researchers is that of investigating the pathways responsible for the association found between child attachment security and social competence. We studied whether children's secure base representations, defined as scripts, are associated with assessments of social competence in a preschool setting. We tested this association in samples from Mexico and Peru. Preschoolers' attachment representations were assessed via narratives gathered with the Attachment Story Completion Task. Teachers (in Mexico) and mothers (in Peru) provided questionnaire information about social competence. Attachment scripts predicted children's social competence in both samples. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for theory and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magaly Nóblega
- a Department of Psychology , Pontifical Catholic University of Peru , Lima , Peru
| | - Patricia Bárrig-Jo
- a Department of Psychology , Pontifical Catholic University of Peru , Lima , Peru
| | - Lucía Gonzalez
- a Department of Psychology , Pontifical Catholic University of Peru , Lima , Peru
| | - Katherine Fourment
- a Department of Psychology , Pontifical Catholic University of Peru , Lima , Peru
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32
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Attachment within life history theory: an evolutionary perspective on individual differences in attachment. Curr Opin Psychol 2019; 25:65-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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33
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The secure base script concept: an overview. Curr Opin Psychol 2019; 25:162-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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34
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Farrell AK, Waters TEA, Young ES, Englund MM, Carlson EE, Roisman GI, Simpson JA. Early maternal sensitivity, attachment security in young adulthood, and cardiometabolic risk at midlife. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 21:70-86. [PMID: 30428778 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2018.1541517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Children who experience high-quality early parenting tend to have better physical health, but limited research has tested whether this association extends into adulthood using prospective, observational assessments. Likewise, mechanisms that may explain such links have not yet been illuminated. In this study, we test whether the quality of early maternal sensitivity experienced during the first 3½ years of life predicts cardiometabolic risk at midlife (ages 37 and 39 years) via attachment representations measured in young adulthood (ages 19 and 26 years). We do so by comparing the predictive significance of two different forms of attachment representations coded from the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI): (a) secure base script knowledge and (b) coherence of mind. Using data from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation, we find that early maternal sensitivity is negatively associated with cardiometabolic risk at midlife. Secure base script knowledge (but not coherence of mind) partially mediated this link. These findings are consistent with the possibility that early parenting has lasting significance for physical health in part by promoting higher levels of secure base script knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison K Farrell
- a Department of Psychology and Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics , Wayne State University , Detroit , MI , USA
| | - Theodore E A Waters
- b Department of Psychology , NYU Abu Dhabi , Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates
| | - Ethan S Young
- c Department of Psychology , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Michelle M Englund
- d Institute of Child Development , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Elizabeth E Carlson
- d Institute of Child Development , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Glenn I Roisman
- d Institute of Child Development , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Jeffry A Simpson
- c Department of Psychology , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
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Posada GE, Trumbell JM, Lu T, Kaloustian G. III. THE ORGANIZATION OF ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOR IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: LINKS WITH MATERNAL SENSITIVITY AND CHILD ATTACHMENT REPRESENTATIONS. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2018; 83:35-59. [PMID: 30520074 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This article investigated two central questions about mother-child attachment relationships during early childhood: (1) the association between maternal sensitivity and child attachment behavior (Study 1) and (2) the link between child attachment behavior and representations (Study 2). In Study 1, maternal sensitivity and child security were assessed in naturalistic contexts among 74 middle-class dyads, when children were about 3.5 and again 5.5 years of age, using the Maternal Behavior with Preschoolers Q-set (MBPQS) and the Attachment Q-set (AQS), respectively. Sensitivity and security were significantly related at each point in time and stable from 3.5 to 5.5 years of age. Furthermore, changes in sensitivity predicted changes in child security. In Study 2, the relationship between the organization of preschoolers' attachment behavior and the structure of attachment representations (secure base script knowledge) was assessed. Participants were 158 preschoolers between 3 and 5.5 years. Children's secure base behavior was described with the AQS, whereas their attachment script knowledge was assessed with the MacArthur Attachment Story Completion Task. The organization of children's secure base behavior was significantly, if modestly, associated with their knowledge of the secure base script.
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Waters TEA, Raby KL, Ruiz SK, Martin J, Roisman GI. Adult attachment representations and the quality of romantic and parent-child relationships: An examination of the contributions of coherence of discourse and secure base script knowledge. Dev Psychol 2018; 54:2371-2381. [PMID: 30321042 PMCID: PMC6263836 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Attachment theory suggests that early experiences with caregivers are carried forward across development in the form of mental representations of attachment experiences. Researchers have investigated at least two representation-based constructs when studying attachment and successful adaptation in adulthood: (a) coherence of autobiographical discourse/memories and (b) knowledge of the secure base script. Here, we present data examining the unique contributions of coherent discourse regarding childhood caregiving experience and secure base script knowledge in a prospective high-risk longitudinal study, the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. The current study included three indicators of the quality of romantic relationships: (a) observed quality of interaction with romantic partners, (b) self-reported relationship satisfaction, and (c) interview-rated effectiveness of romantic engagement. Parent-child relationship quality was also assessed across three key outcomes: (a) infant attachment security, (b) observations of supportive parenting, and (c) interview-rated supportive parenting. When examining both attachment representations simultaneously, each representation-based construct was uniquely associated with different relationship quality indices. Specifically, secure base script knowledge was uniquely associated with infant attachment security in the next generation, and coherence of discourse was uniquely associated with observations of romantic relationships quality and interview-rated supportive parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah
| | - Sarah K Ruiz
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota
| | - Jodi Martin
- Institute of Child Development, York University
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Laverdière O, Descôteaux J, Beaulieu-Tremblay T, Simard V. Attachment assessment in clinical practice: Factor structure of the attachment questionnaire. J Clin Psychol 2018; 75:546-561. [PMID: 30368817 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Attachment theory is of great relevance to psychotherapy process and outcome. The labor-intensive and time-consuming nature of attachment codification impedes its widespread use in clinical practice. The Attachment Questionnaire (AQ), a clinician-rated instrument, was developed to address these limitations. However, the status of validation of the AQ remains preliminary. The objective of this study is to further validate the AQ by evaluating its factor structure and convergent validity. METHODS To this end, 389 psychotherapists completed the AQ and assessed patients' personality disorders and level of functioning. RESULTS Factor analyses revealed that a five-factor solution provided a better fit than the original four-factor solution. The additional factor, inhibited exploration, captured difficulties in open, nondefensive, exploration of memories and their effects. Correlations between AQ factors and criterion variables support the convergent validity of the AQ. CONCLUSIONS These results are discussed in light of patients' characteristics and recent advances in attachment research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Laverdière
- Département de Psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean Descôteaux
- Département de Psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Valérie Simard
- Département de Psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
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Martin J, Anderson JE, Groh AM, Waters TEA, Young E, Johnson WF, Shankman JL, Eller J, Fleck C, Steele RD, Carlson EA, Simpson JA, Roisman GI. Maternal sensitivity during the first 3½ years of life predicts electrophysiological responding to and cognitive appraisals of infant crying at midlife. Dev Psychol 2018; 54:1917-1927. [PMID: 30234341 PMCID: PMC6152827 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the predictive significance of maternal sensitivity in early childhood for electrophysiological responding to and cognitive appraisals of infant crying at midlife in a sample of 73 adults (age = 39 years; 43 females; 58 parents) from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. When listening to an infant crying, both parents and nonparents who had experienced higher levels of maternal sensitivity in early childhood (between 3 and 42 months of age) exhibited larger changes from rest toward greater relative left (vs. right) frontal EEG activation, reflecting an approach-oriented response to distress. Parents who had experienced greater maternal sensitivity in early childhood also made fewer negative causal attributions about the infant's crying; the association between sensitivity and attributions for infant crying was nonsignificant for nonparents. The current findings demonstrate that experiencing maternal sensitivity during the first 3½ years of life has long-term predictive significance for adults' processing of infant distress signals more than three decades later. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob E. Anderson
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Ashley M. Groh
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri at Columbia
| | | | - Ethan Young
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | | | | | - Jami Eller
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Cory Fleck
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Ryan D. Steele
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Augsburg College
| | | | - Jeffry A. Simpson
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Glenn I. Roisman
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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Trumbell JM, Hibel LC, Mercado E, Posada G. The impact of marital withdrawal and secure base script knowledge on mothers' and fathers' parenting. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY : JFP : JOURNAL OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (DIVISION 43) 2018; 32:699-709. [PMID: 29927289 PMCID: PMC6126982 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The current study examines associations between marital conflict and negative parenting behaviors among fathers and mothers, and the extent to which internal working models (IWMs) of attachment relationships may serve as sources of risk or resilience during family interactions. The sample consisted of 115 families (mothers, fathers, and their 6-month-old infants) who participated in a controlled experiment. Couples were randomly assigned to engage in either a conflict or positive marital discussion, followed by parent-infant freeplay sessions and assessment of parental IWMs of attachment (i.e., secure base script knowledge). While no differences in parenting behaviors emerged between the conflict and positive groups, findings revealed that couple withdrawal during the marital discussion was related to more intrusive and emotionally disengaged parenting for mothers and fathers. Interestingly, secure base script knowledge was inversely related to intrusion and emotional disengagement for fathers, but not for mothers. Furthermore, only among fathers did secure base script knowledge serve to significantly buffer the impact of marital disengagement on negative parenting (emotional disengagement). Findings are discussed using a family systems framework and expand our understanding of families, and family members, at risk. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M. Trumbell
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of New Hampshire
| | - Leah C. Hibel
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
| | - Evelyn Mercado
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Germán Posada
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University
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O’Neill AC, Kuhlmeier VA, Craig WM. Examining the association between parenting and psychosomatic problems: self-esteem as a mediator across ages in early adolescence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2018.1482771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amy C. O’Neill
- Department of Psychology, Queen’s University , Kingston, Canada
| | | | - Wendy M. Craig
- Department of Psychology, Queen’s University , Kingston, Canada
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Attachment and psychopathology: a dynamic model of the insecure cycle. Curr Opin Psychol 2018; 25:76-80. [PMID: 29614483 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Sparks LA, Trentacosta CJ, Owusu E, McLear C, Smith-Darden J. Family cumulative risk and at-risk kindergarteners' social competence: the mediating role of parent representations of the attachment relationship. Attach Hum Dev 2017; 20:406-422. [PMID: 29285992 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2017.1414861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Secure attachment relationships have been linked to social competence in at-risk children. In the current study, we examined the role of parent secure base scripts in predicting at-risk kindergarteners' social competence. Parent representations of secure attachment were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between lower family cumulative risk and children's social competence. Participants included 106 kindergarteners and their primary caregivers recruited from three urban charter schools serving low-income families as a part of a longitudinal study. Lower levels of cumulative risk predicted greater secure attachment representations in parents, and scores on the secure base script assessment predicted children's social competence. An indirect relationship between lower cumulative risk and kindergarteners' social competence via parent secure base script scores was also supported. Parent script-based representations of the attachment relationship appear to be an important link between lower levels of cumulative risk and low-income kindergarteners' social competence. Implications of these findings for future interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Sparks
- a Department of Psychology , Wayne State University , Detroit , MI , USA
| | | | - Erika Owusu
- a Department of Psychology , Wayne State University , Detroit , MI , USA
| | - Caitlin McLear
- a Department of Psychology , Wayne State University , Detroit , MI , USA
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Marchetti A, Massaro D, Di Dio C. The Bodies "at the Forefront": Mentalization, Memory, and Construction of the Self during Adolescence. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1502. [PMID: 28919874 PMCID: PMC5585182 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cinzia Di Dio
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy
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Köber C, Habermas T. Parents' traces in life: When and how parents are presented in spontaneous life narratives. J Pers 2017; 86:679-697. [PMID: 28843043 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although parents are acknowledged to be a part of their children's personality and narrative identity and to remain important across the life span, narrative personality research has not yet explored the spontaneous presentation of parents in life stories. Therefore, this study examined longitudinally the place given to parents when crafting one's life narrative and how this changes with age. Furthermore, in contrast to prior studies, we focused on spontaneous mentions of parents. METHOD We investigated how often parents are mentioned in life narratives of six age groups spanning from age 8 to 69, how the parental relationship is evaluated, whether narrators express understanding of their parents, and whether they respond to parental values. RESULTS People of all ages dedicated a substantial part of their life narratives to their parents and evaluated their relationship with them in an increasingly differentiated manner. Parents were increasingly perceived as individuals beyond their parental nurturing role. Until late in life, individuals reflect on values and opinions that were transferred to them by their parents. CONCLUSIONS Parents hold a consistent place in life narratives, emphasizing their importance for narrative identity. Results are discussed in terms of lifelong child-parent relationships. Directions for future research are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Köber
- Department of Psychology, New York University, Abu Dhabi
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Vaughn BE, Waters TEA, Steele RD, Roisman GI, Bost KK, Truitt W, Waters HS, Booth-Laforce C. Multiple domains of parental secure base support during childhood and adolescence contribute to adolescents' representations of attachment as a secure base script. Attach Hum Dev 2016; 18:317-36. [PMID: 27032953 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2016.1162180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although attachment theory claims that early attachment representations reflecting the quality of the child's "lived experiences" are maintained across developmental transitions, evidence that has emerged over the last decade suggests that the association between early relationship quality and adolescents' attachment representations is fairly modest in magnitude. We used aspects of parenting beyond sensitivity over childhood and adolescence and early security to predict adolescents' scripted attachment representations. At age 18 years, 673 participants from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development completed the Attachment Script Assessment from which we derived an assessment of secure base script knowledge. Measures of secure base support from childhood through age 15 years (e.g., parental monitoring of child activity, father presence in the home) were selected as predictors and accounted for an additional 8% of the variance in secure base script knowledge scores above and beyond direct observations of sensitivity and early attachment status alone, suggesting that adolescents' scripted attachment representations reflect multiple domains of parenting. Cognitive and demographic variables also significantly increased predicted variance in secure base script knowledge by 2% each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Vaughn
- a Human Development & Family Studies , Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
| | - Theodore E A Waters
- b Department of Psychology , New York University , Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates
| | - Ryan D Steele
- c Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Glenn I Roisman
- c Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA
| | - Kelly K Bost
- d Human and Community Development , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , IL , USA
| | - Warren Truitt
- a Human Development & Family Studies , Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
| | - Harriet S Waters
- e Department of Psychology , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , NY , USA
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