Adolescent Attachment Research Articles

Predictors of attachment in early- and late-placed adoptees

Although early experiences with primary caregivers have been recognised to play a significant role in individuals’ attachment relationships, little is known about adoptees’ attachment trajectories once placed within their respective adoptive families. This study aims to address this by investigating how attachment representations might be explained by early predictors including childhood attachment representations and other pertinent pre-placement variables. In early childhood, the Story Stem Assessment Profile (SSAP) is used to capture these representations, whilst in adolescence, an attachment-orientated interview (Friends and Family Interview; FFI) is employed. The sample here consisted of 35 early adoptees, placed before 12 months of age, and 35 maltreated, late-adoptees, placed between four and nine years old. Regression models were statistically significant for three out of four FFI constructs ( Security, Disorganisation, Coherence), though most of these effects were driven by IQ. When exploring the late adoptees alone, all regression models were significant in explaining variance in adolescent attachment, with SSAP Defensive Avoidance and Abuse as the strongest predictors. When examining the early adoptees alone, only two models were statistically significant, with most of these effects from IQ. These findings add to current knowledge on the role of childhood variables in predicting attachment and suggest potential areas to improve adoptees’ outcomes.

Binge eating, social media disorder and attachment in adolescence: Gender differences in the mediating role of alexithymia

IntroductionThere is a need for research investigating factors accounting for binge eating (BE) and social media disorder (SMD) in adolescence. ObjectiveDespite studies suggesting the role of both attachment and alexithymia in these disorders, there has been no investigation into the mediating role of alexithymia in the pathways linking the different types of attachment relationships to both BE and SMD. MethodsA total of 423 Italian adolescents (32.2% males, Mage=16.88) completed self-report questionnaires investigating attachment, alexithymia, binge eating, and social media disorder levels. Hypotheses were tested with Structural Equation Modelling including multigroup analyses. ResultsAlmost all the variables showed relationships with each other. BE was explained by attachment to the mother and peers in both genders, but the mediating effect of alexithymia was significant only among girls. SMD was explained only by attachment to peers among boys but by attachment to the parents among girls. Moreover, among girls, the role of attachment to the father in SMD was fully mediated by alexithymia levels. ConclusionsAttachment and alexithymia are two explaining variables associated with BE and SMD in adolescence. However, differentiating between attachment relationships appears crucial to reaching a nuanced understanding of the dynamics underlying both BE and SMD.

Coordination of parent and adolescent attachment across time.

Adolescence is a period of rapid social changes that may have important implications for the ways adolescents think, feel, and behave in their close relationships. According to family systems theory, adolescents' attachment-related changes have the potential to spread throughout their family system, leading to coordinated changes in parents' and adolescents' attachment styles over time. The present study analyzed data from 205 adolescents (MageT1 = 14.0, SD = 0.9; 44% female, 56% male; 51% White, 33% African American, 3% Hispanic/Latino, 1% Asian American, 12% another race/ethnicity) and their parents (196 mothers, 105 fathers; median household incomeT1 = $100,000) who completed self-report measures of their general attachment styles annually for 5 years. Using a latent growth curve framework, we examined the extent of coordination among adolescents' and parents' long-term trajectories and shorter term fluctuations in attachment security. The results revealed a push-and-pull dynamic between mothers' and adolescents' long-term trajectories of attachment security. Mothers who reported higher initial levels of attachment anxiety tended to have adolescent children who reported higher initial levels of avoidance. Additionally, adolescents who increased in attachment avoidance over time tended to have mothers who increased in attachment anxiety. Mothers and fathers mirrored each other's patterns of attachment security as their children navigated their teenage years, reporting similar initial levels of attachment avoidance and synchronized shorter term fluctuations in attachment anxiety and avoidance across time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Coordination of Parent and Adolescent Attachment Across Time

Supplemental Material for Coordination of Parent and Adolescent Attachment Across Time

62 Outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of a brief virtual group intervention for adolescents with mild to moderate suicidal ideation and their caregivers: The BRAVA study

Abstract Background Building Resilience and Attachment in Vulnerable Adolescents (BRAVA) is a brief virtual group intervention designed for adolescents with mild to moderate suicidal ideation (SI) and their caregivers. The goal of BRAVA is to reduce SI in adolescents and increase family connection. The intervention consists of six independent, 90 minute modules that are delivered in a group setting on a weekly basis. Independent modules allow for rolling admission thereby reducing wait time to start the intervention. The modules include components of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. Attachment Based Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Collaborative Problem Solving and psychoeducation. Adolescents and their parents attend separate groups. Adolescents focus on emotional regulation, coping skills, managing crisis situations and caregivers focus on connecting with their teen, validation and crisis management Objectives This randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessed the efficacy of BRAVA in reducing symptoms of SI, depression and anxiety in adolescents, and improving life stress and competency in caregivers. Design/Methods Ninety-nine eligible youth (13-17.5 years) presenting with mild to moderate SI (rated 1 on the suicide item of HEADS-ED MH screening tool) and their caregivers were recruited from hospital and community services. Families were randomized to BRAVA (n=50) or the control group (n=49). The control group intervention consisted of weekly text messages and the opportunity to join the BRAVA group post-exit assessment). Outcome measures were administered at intake and exit for adolescents (Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior, SIQ-JR; Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale, RCADS) and caregivers (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS; Parent Sense of Competency Scale, PSOC). Outcomes were analyzed using repeated measures of multivariable analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results Preliminary analyses showed no significant differences between groups at intake for any demographic or clinical variables. Most adolescents and caregivers completed their exit assessment (nBRAVA=37; nControl=39). Adolescents and caregivers attended a median of six and five groups, respectively. Comparing to the control group, BRAVA was superior in reducing SI (p = 0.05) and depression (p = 0.005) in adolescents and caregiver life stress (p = 0.026). Preliminary MANOVA of adolescent outcomes were significant for time [p <0.01, Effect size (ES) = 0.98] and between groups (p = 0.03, ES = 0.11). Caregiver outcomes were significant for time (p=0.051, ES=0.70). Conclusion This study demonstrates that a brief virtual group intervention can have a significant impact on adolescent SI and depression compared to an enhanced treatment as usual control group. In addition, BRAVA can reduce caregiver perceived stress, helping them view their lives as less unpredictable, uncontrollable and overloaded.

Late Adolescents' Early Maladaptive Schemas: Are They Longitudinally Linked with Middle Childhood Temperament Over and Above Attachment?

Temperament is thought to influence the development of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs). However, whether temperament is longitudinally related to EMSs beyond attachment, the best known predictor of EMSs, hasbeen underexplored. Hence, this study investigated (1) Whether middle childhood temperament is longitudinally related to late adolescent EMSs, (2) To what extent temperament explains EMSs beyond middle childhood attachment, and (3) Whether attachment moderates this temperament-EMSs link. In total, 157 children (Mage = 10.91 in middle childhood,Mage = 16.71 in late adolescence) participated in this study. Adolescent EMSs were assessed along with middle childhood temperamental negative affect, affiliation, surgency, and effortful control, and attachment at both explicit and implicit levels. Results indicated that all temperamental features were longitudinally related to later EMSs; themajority of the temperament-EMSs links did not survive after controlling for attachment, except for some limited correlations between EMSs and negative affect and effortful control; and an inconsistent moderating effect for attachment on the temperament-EMSs link. This study provides further insight into the role of child factors (middle childhood temperament and late adolescent attachment) in understanding EMSs variability in late adolescence. It suggests that EMSs are informed more by past relational experiences (attachment) thanchildren'sinborn tendencies (temperament).

Environmental and Genetic Contributions to Attachment in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked with attachment insecurity and psychopathology. However, some individuals remain securely attached and resilient following ACEs. Researchers have examined polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), particularly rs53576, as a source of resilience, though examination of the biological mechanism by which rs53576 buffers the relation that would otherwise exist between ACEs and attachment insecurity is absent. The aim of the current study was to examine how ACEs interact with individual genetic and immune vulnerability to shape attachment security in older adolescents and young adults (n = 201). Moderated mediational models were tested in which ACEs acted as independent variables, attachment security acted as a dependent variable, inflammation (i.e., IL-6) was tested as a mediator, and rs53576 (i.e., AA, AG, GG genotypes) was tested as a moderator. Results indicated that physical abuse was significantly associated with decreased attachment security, with moderation by rs53576. A significant main effect of rs53576 on IL-6 was also noted. A similar pattern of results was evident across other ACEs and suggests that the effects of ACEs on attachment are buffered by the GG genotype. Association between GG and lower IL-6 suggests inflammation plays some role, though more research is needed.

Parental attachment and mental health in Chinese early adolescents: The mediation role of narcissism

The generalization of multiple attachment models in Chinese youth is still unknown, and the specific effect of combined parental attachment on the mental health of early Chinese adolescents and the mechanism behind it remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to empirically investigate the effect of parental attachment on early Chinese adolescents’ mental health, to examine which multiple attachment model could best explain this impact, and to explore the mediating effect of narcissism between them. A sample of 834 early adolescents was recruited to complete standard questionnaires. Regression analyses, MANOVA, and mediation analysis were performed. We found (1) the effects of parental attachment on the mental health of early Chinese adolescents were generally consistent with the integrative model of multiple attachment; (2) a linear relationship was observed between combined parental attachment and anxiety/depression, while a curvilinear relationship was observed between combined parental attachment and life satisfaction; (3) combined parental attachment could affect mental health through vulnerable narcissism instead of grandiose narcissism. The current study offered one of the first evidence for the association between parental attachments and early adolescents’ mental health within a multiple attachment framework in China and provided valuable insight into the role of narcissism between them, as well as contributing to the literature by suggesting that the integrative model could be better refined by considering the characteristics of the indicators.

A Study on the Relationship between Parental Parenting Styles and Adolescent Attachment Decision Making Styles

This study investigates the associations between perceived parenting styles, attachment orientations, and decision - making styles among adolescents. Employing a cross - sectional, correlation research design, data were collected from 197 eighth - grade students (111 boys and 86 girls) Participants completed self - reported scales measuring perceived parenting styles, attachment styles, and decision - making styles. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between parental responsiveness and secure attachment, highlighting the crucial role of parental warmth and support in fostering secure attachments during adolescence. Conversely, a significant correlation was found between parental control and fearful attachments, indicating the adverse effects of harsh and inconsistent parenting practices on attachment patterns. . These findings underscore the importance of responsive parenting in nurturing secure attachment bonds and advocate for culturally sensitive approaches to understanding parenting styles. Further research is warranted to explore parental influences on adolescent decision - making across diverse cultural contexts, with implications for tailored interventions aimed at promoting positive outcomes in adolescents' development.

Unveiling the hidden connections: network analysis of depressive symptoms, internet addiction, and attachment in Chinese children and adolescents

BackgroundChildren and adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) often grapple with significant non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), linked to interpersonal challenges, insecure attachment, and internet addiction. This study explores these relationships in children and adolescents using network analysis, drawing data from seven hospitals in China.ResultsThe study included 162 youths with depressive disorder and 102 healthy controls from seven hospitals. The MDD + NSSI group exhibited severe internet addiction, heightened depressive symptoms, and insecure attachment. Network analysis identified central symptoms (compulsive use) and key bridge symptoms (tolerance symptoms) in the networks related to depressive symptoms, internet addiction, and attachments. These findings suggest potential targets for intervention among children and adolescents at risk for or suffering from depression.ConclusionsThis study sheds light on the intricate relationship between NSSI, attachment issues, and internet addiction in Chinese adolescents with MDD. The network analysis pinpointed central and key bridge symptoms, offering valuable insights for targeted interventions in children and adolescents at risk for or experiencing depression and associated challenges.

Self-compassion as a moderating variable between attachment, emotional dependence, stress, anxiety, and depression in Spanish adolescents

Attachment is a critical element of the origin of emotional dependence, and one of the most studied consequences of emotional dependence is its role in the development of anxious-depressive symptomatology. Self-compassion has been shown to be a protective factor against anxiety and depression, but no studies have been found that relate it to emotional dependence. Therefore, the three objectives of the present study were to analyse the relationship between these variables; to study whether sociodemographic variables influence these variables; to test whether emotional dependence mediates the relationship between attachment and dysfunctional psychological symptomatology; and to determine whether these relationships are moderated by self-compassion. The sample consisted of 940 adolescents (55.7% female and 44.3% male) from Spain. Emotional dependence was found to mediate the relationship between attachment and dysfunctional psychological symptomatology, and these relationships were moderated by self-compassion. Self-compassion is recognised as having a protective effect on levels of emotional dependence, stress, anxiety and depression.

Attachment and body representations in adolescents with personality disorder.

Attachment theory has served as an influential framework for understanding psychopathology, partly due to reliable assessment methodology. The influence of insecure attachment on attitudes towardthe body and the impact this might have for the development of psychopathology is however less well elucidated. A total of 123 adolescents (35 with borderline personality disorder or BPD, 25 with other personality disorders [OPD]and 63 comprising a normative control group) were interviewed with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and the Mirror Interview (MI). The MI questions respondents about how they feel about their bodies, as they look in the mirror. The AAIs from the Borderline group were predominantly insecure-preoccupied and unresolved. These adolescents had significantly lower levels of a positive and integrated sense of self and body than the other groups. Regression results revealed a high loving relationship with fathers, low involving anger with father, high coherence of mind, slight derogation of mother &low levels of unresolved loss uniquely and additively predicted 55% of variance in the summary score assigned to MIresponses, that is,the summary score for a Positive and Integrated Body Representation (PIBR). Unfavorable attachment experiences and current states of mind regarding attachment may give rise to problems with establishing PIBRs, and thus play a role in the development of psychopathology, especially BPD.

Peer attachment in adolescence: What are the individual and relational associated factors?

AbstractThe quality of peer attachment in adolescence is an important determinant of psychosocial adjustment. To date, few clear conclusions can be drawn about the most important factors associated with the quality of peer attachment. This study aimed to identify the most important individual and relational factors associated with peer attachment quality, and to establish their relative contribution. Early adolescents (N = 634, 45.7% girls), 11.29 years on average at the first measurement time, participated in the longitudinal study. Individual and relational factors were measured at T1; parent and peer attachment quality were measured at T2, 2 years later. First, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed using the global score for peer attachment as the outcome variable. Second, a path model, including the three specific attachment dimensions (trust, communication, and alienation), was tested. The invariance of the models by sex was also examined. The analyses showed that peer attachment was associated positively with the adolescent–parent attachment relationship, the adolescent's age, as well as the teacher–student relationship, and associated negatively with the presence of internalizing behavior problems and social rejection. These variables helped explain 21.3% of the total variance. Give or take a few nuances, these same variables were also related to the three specific peer attachment dimensions. Sex differences were observed for the associated factors of these specific dimensions. This study highlights the importance of certain relational variables, in both family and school contexts, as correlates of peer attachment.

The mediator role of negative and positive automatic thoughts between attachment quality towards significant others and adolescents’ internalizing problems

Previous studies found that the insecure attachment of adolescents towards their mother, father, and peers leads to more internalizing problems and maladaptive cognitive processes (for example, low self-esteem). However, the dynamic between the attachment of adolescents, negative and positive automatic thoughts, and internalizing problems of adolescents is not well understood. The present study proposed and tested a theoretical model in which positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between the attachment of adolescents towards their parents and peers and the internalizing problems of adolescents. A clinical sample of adolescents (N=105; mean age = 16.60), diagnosed with internalizing disorders, have filled out the evaluations for this study. All analyses were conducted in RStudio, and the mediation models were tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. Our main results are that positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between adolescents’ parents- and peer-related attachment and internalizing problems. The biological sex and age of adolescents did not moderate any of the paths in the model. Parents and peer attachment, along with positive and negative automatic thoughts, explained 57 % of the variance in the internalizing problems of adolescents. The main findings of the paper are discussed, and the main caveats are underlined.

Substance Use and Its Relationship With Attachment and Early Maladaptive Schemes in Adolescents in Ecuador.

Given the scarcity of studies addressing substance consumption and its relationship with attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas in adolescents, the present study is proposed. Aims of this study are to analyze the relationship among attachment styles, early maladaptive schemas, and substance use; test the predictive role of attachment styles on substance use; and observe the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between attachment and substance use. The sample consisted of 1533 adolescents from Ecuador (53.9% males) aged between 14 and 18 years (M=15.76; SD=1.25). The attachment styles of security, value to parental authority, parental permissiveness, parental interference, self-sufficiency and resentment against parents, childhood trauma, and family concern predict substance use (tobacco, alcohol, tranquilizers/sedatives or sleeping pills, hashish or marijuana, cocaine, GHB or liquid ecstasy, ecstasy, amphetamines/speed, hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants/volatiles), and the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas is confirmed (explained variance up to 33.33%). Identifying risk or vulnerability factors, such as attachment and early maladaptive schemas related to substance consumption, is especially relevant for designing and implementing preventive interventions in the adolescent population.

Emotional Maturity in Adolescents with Physical Disabilities: The Impact of Parental Attachment

Adolescents with physical disabilities also undergo a transitional period during adolescence, requiring assistance to achieve emotional maturity appropriate for their age. This necessitates support from the immediate environment, which can be obtained through parents. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between parental attachment and emotional maturity in adolescents with physical disabilities. The participants in this study were 56 adolescents with physical disabilities in the city of Salatiga, aged between 11 and 20 years. The sampling technique used in this study was snowball sampling. Data collection utilized the Inventory of Parent Attachment, consisting of sections on attachment to the mother and attachment to the father, and the second scale employed the Emotional Maturity Scale (EMS). The results of this study indicate a significant positive relationship between attachment to parents and emotional maturity, with a correlation of r = 0.452 and significance of 0.000 (p<0.05). This means that the higher the level of secure attachment to parents, the higher the emotional maturity in adolescents with physical disabilities. The findings of this study can be used to develop interventions for specialized educational institutions for individuals with disabilities and serve as a reference for readers.

The Urge of Parents' Role: The Contributions of Parent and Peer Attachment to Adolescent’s Problematic Internet Use (PIU)

Indonesian adolescents spend too many hours using the internet. It leads to negative impacts, including problematic internet use (PIU). Few studies have found that social factors from parents and peers contribute to how they use the internet. Regardless, they still found inconsistencies regarding whether parents or peers, if investigated together, had the highest impact on their maladaptive internet use. This study aimed to examine the contribution of adolescent attachment to parents and peers to adolescents’ maladaptive internet use in terms of PIU. This research is using accidental sampling. The subjects were 237 adolescents (91 male) aged 12-24 years (M=15.03) from the Jabodetabek area. Data was collected using Google Forms. The PIU was measured using IPIUS (Indonesia Problematic Internet Use), and adolescents’ attachment was measured using IPPA (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment). Multiple regression with the stepwise model is applied to investigate the contribution of attachment to PIU. This paper argues that parent and peer attachment contributes significantly to adolescents’ PIU, and this parent attachment has a higher influence than peer attachment. This implies that optimizing parents’ role in attachment behavior could still impact adolescents’ internet behavior.

Maltreatment and Parent-Child Attachment as Predictors of Dating Violence and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among High-Risk Teens.

A history of maltreatment can increase risk for dating violence (DV) and risky sexual behaviour (RSB) among adolescents. Secure parent-child attachment may reduce this risk, yet few studies have examined this as a protective factor. This study differentiated developmentally appropriate, exploratory sexual behaviours from RSB and examined whether maltreatment experiences and parent-child attachment in adolescence predicted DV and RSB reported five years later in a high-risk sample. Participants were 179 adolescents (46% girls; M age = 15.34, range = 12-18 years) at risk for aggressive and antisocial behaviour. Adolescents reported their maltreatment histories and attachment to their parents at Time 1; five years later, at Time 2, they reported their experiences with DV perpetration and victimization and engagement in RSB. Both bivariate correlations and structural analyses demonstrated that maltreatment was associated with DV perpetration and victimization but not RSB, and attachment avoidance was associated with fewer RSB but not DV. Attachment anxiety was associated with physical DV perpetration and greater condom use, but only at the correlational level; attachment anxiety was not associated with DV or RSB in the structural model. There were no significant interaction effects. Findings highlight the importance of considering key developmental factors such as maltreatment and parent-child attachment in understanding adolescent risk for DV and RSB, and may inform future research that accounts for contextual factors such as motivation for violence perpetration and contraceptive use with multiple and/or casual sex partners.

Does attachment in adolescence predict neural responses to handholding in adulthood? A functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Early life experiences, including attachment-related experiences, inform internal working models that guide adult relationship behaviors. Few studies have examined the association between adolescent attachment and adult relationship behavior on a neural level. The current study examined attachment in adolescence and its associations with neural correlates of relationship behaviors in adulthood. 85 participants completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) at age 14. Ten years later, at age 24, participants underwent functional brain image when participants were under the threat of electric shock alone, holding the hand of a stranger, or their partner. We found that adolescents who were securely attached at age 14 showed increased activation in regions commonly associated with cognitive, affective, and reward processing when they held the hand of their partner and stranger compared to being alone. Adolescents with higher preoccupied attachment scores showed decreased activation in similar regions only during the stranger handholding condition compared to being alone. These findings suggest that adolescent attachment predicts adult social relationship behaviors on a neural level, in regions largely consistent with previous literature. Broadly, this study has implications for understanding long-term links between attachment and adult relationship behaviors and has potential for informing intervention.

Exploring attachment security in a sample of Lebanese adolescents: The validation of the Arabic IPPA-R.

Despite growing evidence supporting the importance of the quality of attachment during adolescence, no studies have been conducted to date in the Arab world due to an absence of valid and reliable tools to measure this construct in Arabic. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R) was devised as a self-report questionnaire in English to assess the quality of adolescent attachment to mother, father, and peers, each scale consisting of 25 items. The current study sets out to determine the psychometric properties of the Arabic IPPA-R and to explore attachment styles in Lebanon in a sample of 765 Lebanese adolescents. Results suggested a modified three-factor structure to reach satisfactory reliability of the Arabic IPPA-R, resulting in a modified questionnaire consisting of 19 items for each of mother (α = .82) and father (α = .85), and 21 items for peers (α = .89). Strict measurement invariance across gender was achieved for the IPPA-R parental forms, while only scalar invariance was achieved for the IPPA-R peers form. Overall, there were significant differences in attachment scores to mother and father, with adolescents scoring higher on attachment to mother, with both scores being significantly lower than attachment to peers. Gender differences were found on the peer scale with girls scoring significantly higher than boys. Results are interpreted from a cultural lens, emphasizing the importance of accounting for cultural, religious, and socio-economic factors in understanding adolescent attachment. This study is the first conducted in the Arab region and provides a road map to understanding gender-roles, parental expectations and adolescent perceived parenting, and their impact on adolescent attachment scores.