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PubMed2004

The emotional integration of childhood experience: physiological, facial expressive, and self-reported emotional response during the adult attachment interview.

Attachment researchers claim that individual differences in how adults talk about their early memories reflect qualitatively distinct organizations of emotion regarding childhood experiences with caregivers. Testing this assumption, the present study examined the relationship between attachment dimensions and physiological, facial expressive, as well as self-reported emotional responses during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Consistent with theoretical predictions, more prototypically secure adults behaviorally expressed and reported experiencing emotion consistent with the valence of the childhood events they described. Insecure adults also showed distinctive and theoretically anticipated forms of emotional response: Dismissing participants evidenced increased electrodermal activity during the interview, a sign of emotional suppression, whereas preoccupied adults showed reliable discrepancies between the valence of their inferred childhood experiences and their facial expressive as well as reported emotion during the AAI. Results substantiate a case that the AAI reflects individual differences in emotion regulation that conceptually parallel observations of attachment relationships in infancy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Attachment-based intervention for enhancing sensitive discipline in mothers of 1- to 3-year-old children at risk for externalizing behavior problems: a randomized controlled trial.

The home-based intervention program Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) was tested in a randomized controlled trial with 237 families screened for their 1- to 3-year-old children's relatively high scores on externalizing behavior. VIPP-SD, based on attachment theory and coercion theory, focuses on mirroring and discussing actual parent-child interactions in six 1.5-hr sessions with individual families at home. VIPP-SD proved to be effective in enhancing maternal attitudes toward sensitivity and sensitive discipline and in promoting sensitive discipline interactions in the intervention group as compared with the control group. Moreover, in families with more marital discord and in families with more daily hassles, the intervention resulted in a decrease of overactive problem behaviors in the children. The authors conclude that VIPP-SD should become an important module in attachment-based interventions.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

PubMed2000

Implications of attachment style for patterns of health and illness.

There is substantial evidence that health status and health outcomes are related to the availability and quality of personal relationships. The proposition that attachment relationships in childhood and adolescence have health-related implications fits within this research tradition, and has guided recent attempts to develop models linking attachment style with emotional regulation, coping mechanisms, and illness behaviours. The present paper discusses these theoretical models, together with relevant empirical findings. It is argued that measures of attachment security are related to symptom-reporting, health-care utilization, and restriction of normal activities, and that these links can be explained, in part, by individual differences in emotional and behavioural responses to stress. It is further noted that researchers have proposed physiological and biochemical pathways which may explain some of the effects of attachment style on physical health. The quality of parent-child attachment also predicts family responses to children's illness, as reflected in parents' visitation rates and in family participation in studies of health and illness. The implications of the findings for research and for practice in the health professions are briefly discussed.

Affect↗

PubMed2006

Attachment theory, ageing and dementia: a review of the literature.

The following review draws together recent theoretical contributions and research findings highlighting the pertinence of attachment issues for older adults. Beginning with a brief overview of the principles of attachment theory, the paper proceeds to illustrate that attachment remains a key feature of relationships throughout the life cycle. Research findings suggest that past and present secure attachment relationships function as a protective resource in later life and preliminary studies highlight the continuing salience of parents as attachment figures for older adults. Particular attention is given to the significance of attachment theory in thinking about the subjective experiences of people with dementia, for whom unwilling separation and disruption of attachment bonds can be common themes. Research indicates the frequent occurrence of attachment behaviours and parent fixation amongst people with dementia living in residential care. Pre-morbid attachment style has been shown to interact with emotional and behavioural expression during the course of dementia. Clinical applications of attachment theory in dementia care are discussed and initial evidence for the effectiveness of Simulated Presence Therapy is provided. Methodological issues raised by the review are considered, together with suggestions for future research.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Open mother-pre-schooler communication: relations with early secure attachment.

The study examined the links between early infant-mother attachment assessed using Ainsworth's Strange Situation at 1 year and mother-pre-schooler communication at 4.5 years in 113 mother-child dyads. Mother-child communication was assessed during a reunion that followed a one-hour separation and was classified into one of three Open communication or one of five Non-open communication patterns. Results showed that boys who were classified as Secure (B) in infancy tended to have open communication with their mothers, while children of both genders who were classified as Insecure/Disorganized (D) in infancy were likely to have non-open communication with their mothers. No associations were found between the Insecure/Ambivalent (C) attachment pattern and later communication. The contributions of this study to the understanding of the expression of the secure base phenomenon in open mother-child communication are discussed.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1979

Implications for adult roles from differential styles of mother-infant bonding: an ethological study.

Ethological observations of maternal and infant behaviors of nine vervet monkey pairs (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus) showed the effects of differential styles of early maternal responsiveness on later infant competence. Those infants receiving the least amount of maternal responsiveness and the most time-off the mother in the first 3 months of development were more socially competent at 6 months of age. The results are discussed within current ethological "attachment" theories. The detachment or separation process of mother-infant interaction is considered as important a factor during infant development as the primary maternal bond.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Parenting and development of one-year-olds: links with parental, contextual, and child characteristics.

A set of hypotheses derived from Belsky's process model of the determinants of parenting was tested in a sample of 129 Dutch parents with their 15-month-old infants. Parental ego-resiliency and education, partner support, and infant social fearfulness were found to explain significant and unique portions of variance in the observed quality of parental behavior, which, in turn, was linked to the infants' attachment security and cognitive development. Parental intelligence was both indirectly--through parenting--and directly related with infant Bayley Mental Developmental Index, whereas parental ego-resiliency was both indirectly and directly linked with infant Attachment Q-Set security. Belsky's claim that parents' personal resources are most effective and child characteristics are least effective in buffering the parenting system was not empirically confirmed.

Educational Status↗

PubMed2002

Observing mother-child relationships across generations: boundary patterns, attachment, and the transmission of caregiving.

Grounded in both attachment and family systems theories, this study is one of the first to examine how relationship patterns observed in mothers' current relationships with their own mothers are recreated in their relationships with their infants. Mostly white, middle-class families (N = 55), including maternal grandmothers, mothers, and infants, were observed when infants were 6, 9, and 18 months old. At 6 months, mothers and grandmothers completed self-report assessments and worked together on discussion tasks. These interactions were coded using the Boundary Assessment Coding System, developed for the present study, which assessed three relational patterns: disengagement, balance, and entanglement. At 9 months, mothers were rated on sensitivity and intrusiveness while playing with and feeding their infants; and, at 18 months, infant-mother attachment was assessed using the Strange Situation. Multiple regression analyses revealed, as predicted, that mothers who remembered being accepted by their mothers as children and who were in highly balanced relationships with their own mothers currently were more sensitive and less intrusive with their 9-month-old infants. Further, discriminant function analyses indicated that memories of acceptance, high levels of balance, and low levels of disengagement differentiated secure from insecure attachment, whereas memories of overprotection and high levels of entanglement distinguished resistant from secure and avoidant attachment. Discussion focuses on the theoretical hypothesis that mothers internalize relationship strategies experienced with their own caregivers and recreate these patterns with their infants.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

The apple does not fall far from the tree: attachment styles and personality vulnerabilities to depression in three generations of women.

The intergenerational transmission of attachment insecurity was examined in a community sample of 300 participants consisting of 100 three-generation triads of women. It was hypothesized that personality vulnerabilities mediate the association between attachment insecurity and depression within each generation. Findings show significant intergenerational congruence of trait vulnerabilities and attachment styles. Moreover, the second generation's attachment dimensions and personality vulnerabilities were found to mediate the association between first- and third-generation scores on attachment and vulnerability variables. Findings supported the following hypothesized within- and between-generation paths: Within generations, self-criticism was found to mediate the association between attachment insecurity and depression; between generations, depression, but not self-criticism, mediated the association between assessments of attachment insecurity in mothers and their daughters. This study constitutes a first approach to the delineation of the role played by self-criticism in the association between negative models of the self and depression across generations.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Dissociation and variability of adult attachment dimensions and early maladaptive schemas in sexual and violent offenders.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of constructs that may indicate the presence of disorganized attachment style in sexual and violent offenders. Constructs measured were dissociation, variability on self-report measures of attachment style and early maladaptive schemas, and variability in observed behavior. Data on variability was collected at four time intervals, approximately 3 weeks apart. No differences between the groups were found in variability of self-reported attachment style. Both offending groups showed greater variability in early schemas and higher levels of dissociation than the nonoffending group. Sex offenders showed greater variability than violent offenders in behaviors related to distress.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Construct validity of the Relationship Profile Test: links with attachment, identity, relatedness, and affect.

Studies suggest that overdependence and detachment have negative effects on psychological adjustment, health, and therapy process and outcome. In contrast, healthy dependency (ie., flexible, situation-appropriate help and support seeking) has beneficial effects in each of these areas. In this investigation, 90 college students (50 women and 40 men) completed a battery of personality scales including the Relationship Profile Test (RPT), a 30-item measure of destructive overdependence, dysfunctional detachment, and healthy dependency. RPT scores showed the expected patterns of subscale intercorrelations, gender differences, and links with measures of attachment style, identity, relatedness, and affect. Implications of these results for the construct validity of the RPT are discussed in the context of theoretical models of dependency-detachment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Childhood celebrity, parental attachment, and adult adjustment: the young performers study.

The associations between celebrity, parental attachment, and adult adjustment were examined among 74 famous, former young performers in television and film. As adults, former young performers whose parents served as their professional managers viewed their mothers as less caring and more overcontrolling than did performers whose parents were not their managers. Other factors affecting the quality of the parent-child relationship included dissatisfaction with money management, poor peer support, the perception that involvement in acting was determined by others, and the specific nature of professional experience. Together, these variables accounted for 59% of the variance in perceived caring and 40% of the variance in perceived autonomy support. The relation could not be attributed to a generalized response bias, as attachment was unrelated to degree of positive thinking. A Celebrity x Parental Attachment interaction indicated that the quality of the parent-child relationship moderated the effects of celebrity on adult adjustment: Among participants with good parental attachment, there was no relation between professional experience and adjustment; however, among participants with poor attachment, this relation was strong. Possible implications for parenting child actors and analogous populations of talented children in high-stress arenas are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1979

Maternal deprivation: can its ghost be laid?

The hypothesis that separation from an established mother figure in early childhood has a detrimental effect on a child's later mental health has been widely promulgated and commonly accepted both in academic and lay circles throughout the Western world. The hypothesis continues to have a significant effect on mothers' decision as to whether they should resume work or not, and on governmental policy concerning the provision of child-care facilities for the children of those mothers who do. The evidence for the hypothesis is reviewed and it is concluded that it does not satisfy the requirements of scientific methodology. The theory that a child's attachment to its mother figure is the emotional basis for its future love relationships, group affiliations and loyalty to the state, is now being accorded similar acceptance without further evidence than that supporting the original hypothesis.

Child↗

PubMed1994

Staff attachment and loss in a long term baby ward.

Little systematic attention has been given to the intense involvement of nursing and medical staff, and its emotional consequences for them, whilst caring for long stay very sick infants. This survey of 12 doctors and 14 nurses involved in such work confirmed the presence of consistent attachment behaviours, and examined the contributory elements such as direct contact and interaction in determining that attachment. Staff were found to relate to infants on an individualized basis, and clearly recognized temperamental differences. Differences in attachment patterns between nurses, consultants and registrars were evident, and appeared to again reflect specific opportunities for contact and interaction. Implications for hospital policy were raised.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Pilot study of the relationship between attachment styles and problem perception in a sample of 9-11 year old children with behavioral disorders].

Using the Separation Anxiety Test, this study assessed the attachment patterns in a sample of 27 boys and girls in psychotherapeutic treatment to test the hypothesis of a relationship between attachment styles and problem perception (using the problem questionnaire of Westhoff), and concentration. In conformity with the hypothesis, results demonstrate children with anxious-avoidant attachment showing less, those with anxious-ambivalent attachment indicating more problems than average. There was a general tendency for children with behavioral disorders reporting more problems than a comparative sample of 19 school children. No correlation was found between attachment styles and concentration (assessed via the d2-test). The concentrative abilities were generally reduced in the clinical sample. The results are discussed in relation to action-theoretical assumptions.

Anxiety, Separation↗

PubMed1989

The development of emotion expression during the first two years of life.

This study examines the course of emotion expression development over the first 2 years of life in a sample of full-term and preterm children. 58 mother/infant pairs were videotaped at infant ages of 2 1/2, 5, 7 1/2, and 22 months, recording face-to-face interaction involving play and separation/reunion sessions. The tapes were coded on a second-to-second basis using Izard's facial affect coding system. Data analysis focused on (1) differences in expressive behavior at 22 months as a function of risk status, gender, attachment status, and patterns of earlier maternal contingency behavior; (2) stability of specific emotional expressive patterns across assessment periods; and (3) the relation of expressive behavior and security of attachment at 2 years to qualities of earlier affective interchange. Mother's contingency behavior (both general level and specific contingency patterns) appeared to have a material effect on the course of emotional development, as did birth status and gender. Prematurity was associated with differential socioemotional development well into the second year, much in contrast to the "catch-up effect" observed in linguistic and cognitive functioning. Discrete emotions analysis of attachment groups yielded differentiation along a broad negative/positive dimension, but it also showed that insecurely attached children can be characterized as showing inhibited anger expression. The results of this study are discussed within the framework of organizational models of infant affective development; attachment theory and discrete emotions approaches were found to yield different yet equally informative data on the course of socioemotional development.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The long good-bye--paths of psychoanalysis in late adolescence].

These reflections about late adolescence are inspired by a novel by Peter Handke, entitled "Der kurze Brief zum langen Abschied" (original; translated: A short letter about the long good-bye). The protagonist's troublesome and painful separation from his wife taking place during a trip through the United States is interpreted as an attachment-conflict towards the mother that has not been dissolved during late adolescence. The essential characteristic of late adolescence is taking one's final leave from the infantile and adolescent parental imagines and the reapproachment to the real parents. In case of a failure late adolescence may easily lead to a syndrome of rejection or of overadjustment or of drop-out-identity. Especially in the rejection or in the drop-out-identity one can find object-relationships resembling those found in narcicistic or borderline-disorders. In many cases these adolescents lack the transitional scope they would have needed to find their way to autonomy or to the ability of containing (BION).

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Clinical applications of the attachment framework: Relational treatment of complex trauma.

The self and attachment difficulties associated with chronic childhood abuse and other forms of pervasive trauma must be understood and addressed in the context of the therapeutic relationship for healing to extend beyond resolution of traditional psychiatric symptoms and skill deficits. The authors integrate contemporary research and theory about attachment and complex developmental trauma, including dissociation, and apply it to psychotherapy of complex trauma, especially as this research and theory inform the therapeutic relationship. Relevant literature on complex trauma and attachment is integrated with contemporary trauma theory as the background for discussing relational issues that commonly arise in this treatment, highlighting common challenges such as forming a therapeutic alliance, managing frame and boundaries, and working with dissociation and reenactments.

Child↗