Increasing secure base script knowledge among parents with Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.

K Lee Raby,Lindsay Zajac,Theodore E A Waters,Alexandra R Tabachnick,Mary Dozier

doi:10.1017/s0954579420001765

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.

Highlights

Edward Zigler had a profound and lasting impact on the extent to which developmental research came to inform practice and policy
Waters and Waters (2006; see Waters, Waters, & Waters, in press) proposed that attachment-related representations are organized in the form of a cognitive script regarding the effectiveness of support afforded by attachment relationships in times of distress
We first tested for potential differences regarding the demographic characteristics of the Child Protective Services (CPS)-referred parents who were randomly assigned to the two intervention conditions

Summary

Introduction

Edward Zigler had a profound and lasting impact on the extent to which developmental research came to inform practice and policy He brought an evidence-based developmental approach to his roles as the first director of the Head Start program, the director of the Office of Child Development, and chief of the US Children’s Bureau. This brief intervention was developed to help parents provide sensitive, nurturing care for children who have experienced early adversity. The present study draws on contemporary research from attachment theory and examines whether parents’ cognitive scripts regarding attachment relationships mediate the effect of the ABC intervention on parents’ sensitivity several years after completing the intervention. According to Waters and Waters (2006), the secure base script contains eight central elements that form the basic temporal–causal structure for the successful resolution of distress through secure base use and support: (a) the attached individual is constructively engaged with the environment, (b) they encounter an obstacle or threat to exploration, (c) they signal distress to and seek support from an attachment figure, (d) the attachment figure is available and responds promptly with support, (e) the help is accepted, (f) the support provided by the attachment figure is effective in overcoming the challenge, (g) the attachment figure provides comfort that effectively alleviates the attached individual’s distress, and (h) the individual/dyad return to constructive engagement with the environment

Methods

Results

Conclusion