Children's Attachment Representations Research Articles

Making Sense of Adopted Children's Internal Reality Using Narrative Story Stem Techniques: A Mixed-Methods Synthesis.

Background: Extant research on adopted children has consistently shown that early adverse experiences confer vulnerability to myriad developmental problems, which may be mitigated by the “natural intervention” of adoption itself and/or by treatment efforts. Narrative Story Stems Techniques (NSSTs) have been used in research and clinical practice to assess adopted children's developmental profiles in middle childhood. However, no study to date has systematically reviewed this body of literature.Objectives: This paper presents a systematic review of research using NSSTs to make sense of adopted children's internal reality (i.e., perceptions, experiences, and representations), in terms of exploring theoretical perspectives as well as critically synthesizing findings and discussing implications.Methods: State-of-the-art PRISMA guidelines were followed throughout, resulting in the identification of 18 records, comprising six qualitative, 10 quantitative, and two mixed-methods primary papers, reporting on seven unique studies. All records were assessed with regard to methodological quality. Data were extracted and synthesized narratively using an integrated design for mixed-methods synthesis.Results: The findings suggest that, although NSST research with adopted children is still in its infancy, there is relatively robust evidence supporting the use of these techniques to assess and track developmental change in adopted children's attachment representations. In this regard, the non-verbal (aside from the verbal) approach to children's complex internal reality, as well as a more fine-grained (aside from a categorical or dimensional) perspective on children's NSST responses, are highlighted as particularly valuable in tailoring treatment to a particular child's needs and vulnerabilities. Moreover, several promising avenues for future research and clinical application of NSSTs, including the extension to affect-regulatory and mentalizing perspectives, may further our knowledge and understanding of, and thus treatment efforts toward, these often vulnerable children. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution, due to the limited number of studies characterized by considerable methodological heterogeneity.Conclusions: In light of the findings of the present review, we strongly advocate future studies using NSSTs in theoretically and empirically consistent ways, in order to gain a better understanding of adopted children's internal reality in terms of attachment representations, affect-regulatory strategies, and mentalizing processes, and to track changes therein.

Child and maternal attachment predict school-aged children's psychobiological convergence.

Psychobiological convergence-the alignment of task-related changes in children's self-reported and physiological indices of reactivity-has recently emerged as a powerful correlate of children's attachment representations, but has not been explored for its association with children's self-reported attachment, with parents' attachment, or with respect to cardiovascular reactivity. The present study found that, within a diverse community sample of mothers and school-aged children (N=104, Mage =10.31), the positive link between cardiovascular (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) and subjective reactivity to a stressor was only significant among children with high levels of security and children of mothers with low levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety. The convergence of children's subjective and physiological experience is discussed as a key developmental competence that may lay the groundwork for effective coping.

Maternal autonomy support and dyadic verbal synchrony during narrative coconstruction: Links with child attachment representations and independent narrative competence

AbstractThis study investigated the empirical bases for 2 dimensions of narrative coconstruction (autonomy support and verbal synchrony) with 65 mother–child dyads. Links between the 2 narrative dimensions and child narrative competence were tested, and differences in autonomy support and verbal synchrony across attachment groups (child story‐stem measure) were examined. Child independent narratives and mother–child narrative conversations were coded and analysed at the turn‐by‐turn level. Principal components analysis revealed the verbal behaviours that composed autonomy support and verbal synchrony reflected the extent to which mothers supported their children's independent competence and the degree to which interactions were mutually reciprocal and constructive, respectively. As predicted, avoidant and ambivalent dyads differed in terms of autonomy support but were comparable on verbal synchrony, revealing the differential influence of insecure attachment on mother–child narrative coconstruction. As hypothesized, autonomy support was related to child independent narrative competence when narrating collaboratively and alone, and verbal synchrony was related to more child engagement during narrative conversations. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.Highlights This study examines autonomy support and verbal synchrony during narrative coconstruction, links to child narrative competence, and differences across attachment groups. With a microanalytic approach, findings reveal the first empirical evidence of the relation between child attachment representations and maternal autonomy support in narrative conversations. Results underscore the importance of microanalysis in revealing unique and separate dimensions contributing to the conversation in which the story is constructed and to the story itself.

Does the Type of Abuse Matter? Study on the Quality of Child Attachment Narratives in a Sample of Abused Children.

Child abuse has been associated with the development of insecure-disorganized patterns of attachment. However, the way in which different types of abuse relate to variations in attachment representations is not entirely clear. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between three types of abuse (sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect) and the quality of child attachment representation, as assessed through attachment narratives. The results indicate that abuse in general, as well as each of its typologies in particular, is associated with insecure-disorganized attachment narratives. No differences were observed in the association between each individual type of abuse and the quality of attachment narratives, as well as between the number of abuse experiences and the quality of attachment. The findings are discussed from attachment theory and the literature on child development and maltreatment.

Intimate Partner Violence and Children's Attachment Representations during Middle Childhood.

Despite long-standing hypotheses that intimate partner violence (IPV) may undermine children's ability to form secure attachment representations, few studies have empirically investigated this association. Particularly lacking is research that examines IPV and attachment during middle childhood, a time when the way that children understand, represent, and process the behavior of others becomes particularly important. Using data from a sample of African American children living in rural, low-income communities (n = 98), the current study sought to address this gap by examining the association between physical IPV occurring early in children's lives and their attachment security during the first grade. Results indicate that, even after controlling for child- and family-level covariates, physical IPV was associated with a greater likelihood of being rated insecurely attached. This effect was above and beyond the influence of maternal parenting behaviors, demonstrating a unique effect of physical IPV on children's attachment representations during middle childhood.

Mother-Child Conversations and Child Memory Narratives: The Roles of Child Gender and Attachment

AbstractThis study examined the roles of child gender and attachment in mother-child narrative conversations and child independent narratives. Children (Mage= 56 months) told personal narratives independently and while engaged in narrative conversations with their mothers. The Attachment Story Completion Task-Revised (Verschueren & Marcoen, 1994) measured child attachment representations. Results indicated that attachment was linked to maternal conversational style and child independent narratives. Mothers with secure sons continued their topics more than mothers of secure daughters, and secure boys’ independent narratives were less elaborative than those of secure girls. However, no gender differences were found among insecure dyads. We argue that mothers of secure boys sensitively recognize their sons’ cues within the conversational context and respond to the need for further verbal assistance, thus providing more on-topic replies in narrative conversations.

Neuropsychological Functioning and Attachment Representations in Early School Age as Predictors of ADHD Symptoms in Late Adolescence.

This study aimed to examine relations between parent and child attachment representations and neuropsychological functions at age 8, as well as relations between these constructs and ADHD symptoms over a 10-year period. A community-based sample of 105 children (52 boys) participated. Measures of attachment representations and a range of neuropsychological functions were collected at age 8. Parents rated emotion dysregulation and ADHD symptoms at age 8 and ADHD symptoms again at age 18. Significant, although modest, relations were found between disorganized attachment and some aspects of neuropsychological functioning in childhood. When studying outcomes in late adolescence and controlling for early ADHD symptom levels, spatial working memory and disorganized attachment remained significant in relation to both ADHD symptom domains, and one measure of inhibition remained significant for hyperactivity/impulsivity. When examining independent effects, spatial working memory and disorganized attachment were related to inattention, whereas spatial working memory and dysregulation of happiness/exuberance were related to hyperactivity/impulsivity. Our findings showing that disorganized attachment is longitudinally related to ADHD symptoms over and above the influence of both neuropsychological functioning and early ADHD symptom levels highlights the importance of including measures of attachment representations when trying to understand the development of ADHD symptoms. If replicated in more "at-risk" samples, these findings could also suggest that parent-child attachment should be taken into consideration when children are referred for assessment and treatment of ADHD.

A LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF MOTHER-INFANT PSYCHOANALYTIC TREATMENT: OUTCOMES ON MOTHERS AND INTERACTIONS.

An earlier randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared 80 mother-infant dyads in a Stockholm sample. One had received mother-infant psychoanalytic treatment [mother-infant psychoanalytic therapies (MIP) group], and the other received Child Health Center care (CHCC group). Effects were found on mother-reported depression and expert-rated mother-infant relationship qualities and maternal sensitivity. When the children were 412 years, the dyads were followed up with assessments of the children's attachment representations, social and emotional development, and global functioning, and the mothers' psychological well-being and representations of the child as well as the mother-child interactions. We gathered data from 66 cases approximately 312 years' posttreatment. All scores involving the mothers had now approached community levels. We found effects on maternal depression in favor of MIP, but no other between-group differences. The MIP treatments seemed to have helped the mothers to recover more quickly on personal well-being, to become more sensitive to their babies' suffering, and to better support and appreciate their children throughout infancy and toddlerhood. If so, this would explain why the MIP children had a better global functioning and were more often "OK" and less often "Troubled" at 412 years.

The Effect of Sexual Abuse on Children's Attachment Representations in Chile

Child sexual abuse is associated with problems in children's emotional development, particularly increased insecurity of attachment. However, few studies have examined its effect on the organization of attachment representations in preschoolers, and the findings of those that have been conducted have not been entirely consistent. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of child sexual abuse on attachment representation quality in a sample of children 3 to 7 years old in Chile. The results indicate child sexual abuse does affect children's attachment representation quality. The attachment narratives of child sexual abuse victims scored significantly higher than nonvictims on the hyperactivity and disorganization dimensions of attachment. These results are discussed in terms of attachment theory, clinical findings on child sexual abuse, and clinical implications.

Stability of young children's attachment representations: Influence of children's and caregiver's characteristics

This research explores the stability of attachment representations, assessed by the Attachment Story Completion Task, within early childhood. Hypotheses were also formed about the influence of parenting, externalizing behavior and intelligence quotient (IQ) on the developmental course of children's attachment representations. Data were collected from 358 French-speaking Belgian children. Security and disorganization showed a linear improvement with age. The effect of time on the two growth curves was influenced by the child's externalizing behavior. When language abilities were controlled for in a subsample of referred children for externalizing behavior, the growth in security was found to be influenced by reasoning IQ, but the effects for disorganization were unchanged. The implications of the results for both research and clinical purposes are discussed.

Parental Depressive Symptoms and Adolescent Adjustment: Responses to Children's Distress and Representations of Attachment as Explanatory Mechanisms

SYNOPSIS Objective . This study seeks to extend the investigation of parenting as an explanatory mechanism for relations between parental depressive symptoms and adolescent adjustment in the context of a four-wave longitudinal study. Design . Participants were cohabiting parents and their 320 children (156 boys, 164 girls). Parental depressive symptoms were assessed in kindergarten (T1), parental negative response to children's emotional distress in 1st grade (T2), children's representations of attachment with parents in 2nd grade (T3), and adolescent adjustment in 7th grade (T4). Results . Multiple pathways were identified in predicting adolescent conduct problems, including links involving (1) mothers' depressive symptoms, mothers' negative responses to children's distress and insecure father–child attachment representations; (2) fathers' depressive symptoms and insecure father–child attachment representations; and (3) fathers' depressive symptoms and negative responses to children's distress. A pathway was also found among mothers' depressive symptoms, mothers' negative responses to children's distress, insecure mother–child attachment representations, and peer problems in adolescence. Conclusion . The findings support a role of parents' negative responses to children's distress and representations of father–child and mother–child attachment in relations between children's early experience with parental depressive symptoms and socioemotional outcomes in early adolescence.

Une intervention brève auprès de parents adoptants centrée sur la sensibilité parentale : effets sur le sentiment de compétence parentale et l’attachement de l’enfant

Adopted children seem to imply specific challenge for themselves and their adoptive parents regarding the recovery of their attachment representations. Based on the hypothesis relating parental sensitivity of adopting parents and children's attachment representations, this study aims to create an intervention based on parental sensitivity for adoptive French-speaking families. Nine adoptive families took par to this study whose children are between 2 and 11years old. In this exploratory research, the recovery of the children's attachment representations and the moderation of parental self-efficacy were assessed. Our results highlighted the relevance of this intervention.

Mothers' borderline features and children's disorganized attachment representations as predictors of children's externalizing behavior.

Mothers' borderline features and children's disorganized attachment representations as predictors of children's externalizing behavior.

Maternal interactive behaviour as a predictor of preschoolers' attachment representations among full term and premature samples

BackgroundAssociations between maternal sensitivity and child attachment have been established in many samples, but the strength of the association varies across populations. The sensitivity–attachment link has never been examined at the level of representations nor among premature samples. ObjectiveThe present study is aimed at exploring associations between maternal interactive behaviour and children's attachment representations in a population of preterm and full-term infants. MethodMaternal interactive behaviour was assessed at 6 and 18months (Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale & Care Index) and children's attachment representations were measured at 42months (Attachment Story Completion Task) in a sample of preterm (N=48) and full-term (N=23) infants. ResultsMaternal unresponsiveness at 6months and sensitivity at 18months explained 54% of the variance of disorganized attachment representations in the full-term group but was not significantly related to attachment patterns in the preterm group. ConclusionThese results corroborate previous work on the causes of disorganized attachment and also point to the need to consider the development of attachment differently for children evolving in specific developmental contexts. They especially stress the importance of distinguishing between risk factors associated with the mother as opposed to the child.

Intergenerational transmission of attachment representations in the context of single parenthood in France.

Despite a dramatic increase of single parenthood during the past decades, parent-child transmission of attachment has almost always been examined in intact families. A first objective of the current study was to examine child attachment in the context of single parenthood, both maternal and paternal. A second objective was to investigate intergenerational transmission of attachment in single parent-child dyads, compared with that observed in two-parent families. The samples consisted of 50 married couples and 43 single parents (22 mothers and 21 fathers), along with their 3- to 6-year-old children. Parental and child attachment representations were measured, respectively, with the Adult Attachment Interview and the Attachment Story Completion Task. Findings suggested that single parenthood per se was not linked to more insecure or disorganized child attachment representations. However, when the father was the sole caregiver, children exhibited more disorganized representations. Different patterns of mother-child associations were found according to family structure: associations were significant among married families but not among single-mother families. Results also replicated those of previous studies in finding a nonsignificant father-child association in two-parent families and a significant one in single-father families, specifically with respect to hyperactivation. Further research is needed to clarify whether the differences found are attributable to different circumstances leading to single parenthood for men and women, or to parental gender itself.

Attachment and social competence: a study using MCAST in low-risk Italian preschoolers

The Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) is a story stem method suitable for children aged about 4 to 8, aimed at assessing children's attachment representations with a doll-play format that is evaluated with a series of dimensional scales and classifications. Although this instrument has already been validated in previous studies, not all of the findings have been conclusive. The aims of the present study were (1) to examine the factor structure of the MCAST scales, and (2) to test the association between children's dichotomized MCAST classifications and factors with social competence, using the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale (SCBE) with a normative group of Italian preschoolers (age range 4.4 to 6.1). Results obtained from a sample of 64 children confirm the association of MCAST attachment classifications (security vs. insecurity and organization vs. disorganization) with both social skills and behavioral problems. Further independent studies on the variables analyzed are recommended for corroborating the findings obtained.

The family drawings of at-risk children: Concurrent relations with contact with incarcerated parents, caregiver behavior, and stress

The current study examined children's attachment representations as assessed with their family drawings in relation to contact with an incarcerated or estranged parent, caregiver behavior, and family stress in a high-risk sample of children (N = 44, M age = 8.14), 55% of whom had incarcerated parents. Greater phone, mail, and physical contact with an incarcerated parent was associated with more role reversal in children's family drawings. Additional results show that child-reports of more hostile caregiver behavior were associated with greater overall insecurity in their family drawings; child and caregiver reports of stress were associated with increased global pathology and bizarreness/dissociation in children's family drawings. Given the lack of research on concurrent familial-based correlates of ratings made of children's family drawings, these results provide additional insights into children's representations of attachment relationships in early middle childhood. Further, the results regarding contact with incarcerated parents have implications for researchers and clinicians working with families impacted by parental incarceration.

Attachment security and HPA axis reactivity to positive and challenging emotional situations in child–mother dyads in naturalistic settings

This study investigated adrenocortical activity in response to different challenging and positive affect emotional contexts in child-mother dyads, as function of attachment security (children's secure base behaviors and mothers' attachment representations). Fifty-one children ranging in age from 18 to 26 months and their mothers participated in this study. Secure children showed significant increases in their cortisol levels after fear episodes and significant decreases, after positive affect ones. No significant changes were found for frustration/anger episodes. Insecure children did not show significant differences in cortisol levels in any of the episodes, which suggests that insecure attachment may be related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression in response to challenging and positive contexts. Mothers of insecure children showed significantly higher cortisol concentrations in pre- and post-session samples, than mothers of secure children. Mothers' personal attachment representations influenced their own cortisol responses, as well as their children's (in a marginal significant way).

Systems Theory, Family Attachments and Processes of Triangulation: Does the Concept of Triangulation Offer a Useful Bridge?

This article reviews the usefulness of the systemic concept of triangulation as a bridge between systemic thinking and practice and attachment theory. Traditionally attachment theory has theorized and researched with dyads, parent‐child and adult romantic partners, whereas systemic theory has worked therapeutically with the triangle as the basic human relationship; that is, when any two people interact, their interactions are influenced by their respective relationships with the same third person. Here it is argued, for example, that a child's attachment representations are shaped not only by the relationship with each parent but with the relationship between them. Thus, the process of triangulation in intimate relationships is seen in this article to link attachment theory with systemic thinking, as systemic theory needs a theory of love and attachment theory needs to consider how intimate relationships are nested and interconnected in an attachment network.

Children's Family Drawings: A Study of Attachment, Personality, and Adjustment

This study examined the relationship between children's attachment security, as manifested in their family drawings, and their personality and adjustment. Family drawings were collected from 222 Israeli children, as well as data regarding their personality and adjustment. Each drawing was coded and classified into 1 of 4 attachment categories based on global and individual characteristics such as completeness of figures, facial expression, size, and degree of movement. Results showed that drawings from securely attached children included more positive markers of personality and reflected their superior psychosocial functioning. Drawings from children in the ambivalent and disorganized attachment categories reflected the children's adjustment difficulties; children whose drawings were classified as representing avoidant attachment were found to function relatively well. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of using family drawings to assess children's attachment representations and to identify children at risk for adjustment problems in the school setting.