Parental Attachment Research Articles

Factors associated with children’s attachment hierarchy in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parent families through assisted reproduction

Abstract With few exceptions, previous studies of children’s identification and hierarchy of attachment figures have involved only children born to heterosexual parents through unassisted conception, recognizing mothers as the primary attachment figures. Further research into diverse families may help to disentangle parents’ attachment role from their gender, sexual orientation, and biological relatedness to children. The present study aimed at exploring whether differences in children’s choice of primary attachment figure could be explained by parents’ gender, biological status, attachment state of mind, reflective functioning, parenting quality, or by the child’s gender, across diverse family types. In total, 152 parents (i.e., 60 lesbian mothers through donor insemination, 50 gay fathers through surrogacy, 42 heterosexual parents through gamete donation) and their 76 school-aged children participated in the study. Children were interviewed about their choice of attachment figure in different situations. Parents completed questionnaires about parenting stress, parental rejection, parent–child relational efficacy, and parent positivity; and were administered the Adult Attachment Interview as a measure of their attachment state of mind and reflective functioning. Overall, no significant differences emerged between mothers and fathers or between biological and non-biological parents for children’s choice of primary attachment figure. However, fathers with higher RF were more likely to be identified as a primary attachment figure, and gay fathers who demonstrated less parental rejection were more likely to be chosen as a primary attachment figure. The findings provide important insights for social policies aimed at promoting preventive parenting interventions targeting the child–parent attachment bond in diverse families.

THE URGE TO OPTIMIZE THINKING PROCESS: THE INFLUENCE OF PARENT AND PEER ATTACHMENT ON PROBLEMATIC INTERNET USE (PIU) MEDIATED BY EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

Attachment relationships are shaped by higher-order cognitive abilities that help individuals regulate their behavior, including internet usage, which is a prevalent activity among students. The purpose of this study is to assess the mediating role of executive function (EF) in the relationship between individual attachment and problematic internet use (PIU) behavior. EF is believed to serve as a buffer against the negative effects of weak attachment between individuals and their parents or peers, thereby helping to suppress PIU behavior. This study employed a quantitative research design with 127 college students from DKI Jakarta. Convenience sampling was used to select participants. Attachment was measured using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment – Revision (IPPA-R), PIU was assessed using the Indonesian Problematic Internet Use Scale (IPIUS), and EF was evaluated using the Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory (AEFI). The mediation regression analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of attachment to parents on PIU, mediated by EF. It is recommended that parents foster early interactions with their children to optimize their cognitive development and take peer influences into consideration when supporting their children’s behavior regulation.

Moderating effect of attachment to parents on the association between bullying and self-esteem among early adolescents aged 10 to 12.

The aim of this study was to examine whether attachment to each parent moderates the relationship between bullying victimisation and self-esteem. The sample consisted of 250 junior high school students (114 males, 136 females; mean age: 11.3 years). The administered scales were the Bully/Victim Questionnaire Revised, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment for Children and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results showed that early adolescents subjected to bullying had lower self-esteem than non-bullied peers. For girls, attachment to mother also accounted for self-esteem over and above the effect of bullying. For boys, attachment with the father appeared as a pure moderator of the effect of bullying as the association with self-esteem was non-significant when attachment scores were high. The findings suggest that attachment to same sex parents may foster better self-esteem in the face of bullying. Parents' participation in preventive measures could be encouraged.

Factors Associated with Psychological Well-Being Among Children Under 18 Years Old with Cancer: A Scoping Review.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment can have severe psychological impacts on children that can affect various aspects of their emotional, social and cognitive functioning. Many children with cancer experience long-term psychological distresses. The psychological well-being (PWB) is a critical aspect of their overall health. Understanding the factors that influence their psychological state can help in developing effective interventions to support them. This scoping review aimed to identify and summarize the factors associated with PWB among children with cancer. This study applied a scoping review using the guidelines outlined in the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Taylor and Francis, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were included by keywords Psychological well-being OR Psychological AND Children OR Child OR Pediatric OR Childhood AND Adolescent OR Teenagers OR Youth AND Cancer OR Neoplasms OR Tumors OR Malignancy OR Cancer Survivors AND predictor OR factors OR determinant. Studies were included if they investigated psychological well-being in children (aged 0-18 years) with cancer. The Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews guided the methodology, including study selection, data extraction, and thematic analysis. The quality of the evidence was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) critical appraisal checklist. 12 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The factors most frequently reported in several categories are age (sociodemographic), psychological function (individual factors), age at diagnosis (health and history), parent attachment and school status (environmental factors). This review found several aspects that describe the PWB of the articles reviewed. These aspects consist of anxiety, depression, distress, well-being, and self-esteem. From these aspects, many predictors were obtained, which were classified into four categories of factors related to the PWB of children with cancer.

Parental Attachment (IPPA) among Indonesian Adolescents

Parental Attachment (IPPA) among Indonesian Adolescents

Latent Classes Analysis Approach of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration in Emerging Adulthood.

This study sought to identify classes of intimate partner violence (IPV) among emerging adults reporting both victimization and perpetration, as well as the co-occurrence of multiple forms of violence (i.e., psychological, physical, and sexual) and the association of psychosocial vulnerability factors (i.e., parental attachment, childhood abuse, dysfunctional attitudes, sociotropy-autonomy, self-esteem, and problem solving). A total of 363 French emerging adults aged 18 to 30 years (mean age = 24.73; 88.7% women) responded to self-report questionnaires at 12-month intervals. A latent class analysis identified five classes: low IPV (37.7%), poly IPV (7.5%), psychological and sexual IPV (8.9%), psychological and physical IPV (6.5%), and psychological IPV (39.4%). The classes were compared with logistic multinomial regressions, with the low IPV class as a reference. The results revealed that a history of IPV (12 months before) was the most predictive factor of IPV classes. Significant psychosocial vulnerability factors included social problem solving for poly IPV and psychological IPV, attraction to loneliness (dimension of autonomy) for psychological and sexual IPV, high self-esteem for poly IPV, and a secure attachment to the mother for psychological IPV and for psychological and physical IPV. Childhood abuse was not associated with the different classes. Implications for research and prevention programs will be discussed. This includes efforts to empirically integrate life skills with established psychosocial factors, and working on representations of IPV by framing conflicts as interactive interactions, to further improve intervention strategies.

Empathy, Theory of Mind, and psychological outcomes in early parenthood: comparing mothers, fathers, and non-parents.

Parenthood may influence social cognitive processes such as Theory of Mind (ToM) and empathy, which are linked to parental psychological well-being. However, there is limited research on these relationship in the early postpartum period (6-12 months post-birth). This study explores differences in ToM and empathy in parents of young infants compared to non-parents and examines how these traits relate to parents' psychological well-being, attachment, and caregiving attitudes. A sample of 209 parents (53 mothers, 56 fathers) of infants aged 6-12 months and 100 non-parents completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) for empathy and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) for ToM. Measures of parents' stress and psychological distress were also included. Parents demonstrated higher empathic concern compared to non-parent men, with no differences in ToM. Subgroup analyses revealed distinct patterns in how empathy and ToM related to attachment, caregiving attitudes, and well-being, with empathic concern linked to lower stress in mothers and personal distress associated with poorer well-being in fathers. The findings underscore empathy's relevance to parental mental health and caregiving, suggesting avenues for targeted mental health interventions. Future research should employ experimental and longitudinal designs to expand on these findings.

Parental considerations about their childs' mental health: Validating the German adaptation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire.

Parental Reflective Functioning describes the parents' ability to view their child as motivated by mental states. The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) represents an 18-item and three-factor self-report measure. Our goal was to conduct the first German validation study. In a community sample of 378 mothers of children aged 10.2-78.6 months, we used Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a cross-validation approach to assess model fit. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω. Concurrent validity was assessed using correlations with relevant constructs. The three-factor structure of the original validation could be confirmed. The German model only needed minor modifications: two items had to be removed, and one error covariance was added. The resulting 16-item questionnaire with the three subscales "Pre-mentalizing", "Interest and Curiosity about Mental States", and "Certainty about Mental States" was successfully cross-validated (CFI = .94, TLI = .93, SRMR = .07, RMSEA = .04 (CI [.01, .06])). These factors were related in theoretically expected ways to parental attachment dimensions, emotional availability, parenting stress, and infant attachment status. While reliability could still be improved, the German 16-item version of the PRFQ represents a valid measure of parental reflective functioning.

Longitudinal associations between parental attachment and adolescents' pro-bullying bystander behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement

BackgroundPro-bullying bystander behaviors refer to actively taking the bullies' side when the bullying occurs, such as joining in the bullying or assisting the bullies by laughing or cheering. Previous studies have indicated that pro-bullying bystander behaviors might increase the incidence and intensity of bullying directly. Poor-quality parental attachment has been found to predict adolescents' pro-bullying bystander behaviors. ObjectiveWe tested whether adolescents' moral disengagement mediated the association and tested for gender differences in this process. MethodsA longitudinal study was conducted three times, each 6 months apart to test our hypotheses. Participants and setting885 participants (47.91 % boys) were included in the longitudinal mediating model of parental attachment, moral disengagement, and pro-bullying bystander behaviors. ResultsWe found that parental attachment at Time 1 negatively predicted moral disengagement at Time 2, and moral disengagement at Time 2 positively predicted adolescents' pro-bullying bystander behaviors at Time 3. Moral disengagement at Time 2 mediated the relationship between parental attachment at Time 1 and pro-bullying bystander behaviors at Time 3. The longitudinal mediation was marginally significant for boys but not for girls. ConclusionsOur findings indicated that moral disengagement, as a longitudinal mediating factor in the link between parental attachment and pro-bullying bystander behaviors, might be a useful focus in interventions to reduce school bullying.

INFLUENCE OF ATTACHMENT DIMENSIONS AND PERCEIVED PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE/REJECTION IN ADOLESCENT PATIENTS ON CONDUCT DISORDER.

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in attachment dimensions and the perceived parental acceptance / rejection among adolescents with conduct disorder (CD) in comparison to the control group, and the contribution of the attachment dimensions and parental acceptance /rejection to the CD. The group of male and female adolescents with CD (N=97) and a control group of male and female adolescents with no signs of CD (N=97) participated in this study. Attachment and parental acceptance/rejection were determined in the relationship between adolescents and their mothers and fathers by using self-evaluation questionnaires. The results showed that subjects with CD had insecure (avoidance) attachment, perception of lower parental acceptance and higher parental rejection more often compared to controls. Higher levels of complex father rejection predicted CD. The main findings of this study indicated that the subjects with a conduct disorder felt less accepted and more rejected by parents compared to control group subjects. Complex father rejection was shown as a significant predictor of conduct disorder. Parental attachment may affect adolescents' perception of parental acceptance/rejection which may result in an expression of CD symptoms.

Differences in Academic Factors According to Latent Profiles of Parenting Characteristics During Adolescence: Examining the Influence of Parental Attachment

Differences in Academic Factors According to Latent Profiles of Parenting Characteristics During Adolescence: Examining the Influence of Parental Attachment

Adolescent sense of personal agency: Exploring gendered perspectives on parental and peers attachments

Sense of personal agency (SPA) is crucial for adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment and well-being. The relationships with parents and peers, as well as the adolescent’s sex, have been suggested as important correlates of adolescents’ SPA. Nevertheless, no prior study has adopted a gender perspective to analyze how the intertwining of relationships between parents and peers relates to adolescent’s sense of agency. The current study investigates whether attachment to peers mediates the links between attachment to parents and SPA and whether these links are equal for boys and girls. The sample includes 1119 Portuguese adolescents (56.2% girls; 43.8% boys) aged 14 to 19. Structural equation modeling results suggest that attachment to peers is more strongly associated with boys’ SPA than girls. Results also indicate that regardless of adolescent sex, the quality of the emotional bond with the mother, but not the father, is positively associated with adolescents’ SPA. Furthermore, the results suggest that attachment to peers mediates the links between attachment to parents and adolescents’ SPA. Quality relationships with the adolescent’s different-sex parental figures (mother-son, father-daughter) are associated with higher-quality peer relationships, which are associated with a stronger SPA. On the contrary, inhibition relationships with the adolescent’s same-sex parental figure (mother-daughter, father-son) are associated with lower quality in adolescent’s peer relationships, which is associated with a lower SPA. These findings underline the importance of considering a gender perspective to understand better the role of family and peer contexts in the adolescent SPA.

School Refusal and Determinants: Parental Psychopathology, Family Functioning, Attachment and Temperament

ABSTRACTIn the current study investigated the psychopathologies of parents, family functioning, child temperament characteristics, and attachment of kindergarten and primary school‐age children who were brought to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic due to school refusal behavior. Fifty‐two children with school refusal and 64 children without school refusal and their parents participated in the current study. School Refusal Assessment Scale, Systemic Family Functionality Scale(SFFS), Family Harmony Scale(FHS), Kerns Secure Attachment Scale(KSAS), Temperament Scale for Children(TSC), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales(DASS) for parents were used. It was determined that, compared to children without school refusal, the children with school refusal had lower KSAS score(mother)(p = 0.049), higher DASS‐stress and anxiety(mother) scores(p = 0.014 and p = 0.020, respectively), lower TSC‐Responsiveness/Reactivity subscale score (p = 0.005), lower SFFS‐intrafamilial support and SFFS‐intrafamilial connection scores (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively), and lower FHS‐total score (p = 0.002). It was determined that school refusal was 11 times more common in children who had difficulty adjusting to school in previous years. Each point increase in the SFFS‐intrafamilial connection score reduced school refusal by 30%. In the current study shows that among the interventions required for treatment, the family should also be targeted in addition to the child and adolescent. Therefore, it is essential to identify factors such as parents' psychopathology and their roles in the family, family functioning, and family harmony in school refusal. Because parents play a crucial role in both the development and maintenance of school refusal, using more parent‐targeted strategies or techniques is necessary to improve interventions.

Mary Main’s concept of conditional strategies: influences on studies of child–parent and adult romantic attachments

ABSTRACT Among Mary Main’s many vital contributions to the field of attachment is the idea that human infants develop adaptive conditional strategies in the service of maintaining proximity to a secure base in light of a particular caregiving history. In this tribute paper, we describe Main’s original theorizing, which delineated three types of conditional strategies: a primary secure base strategy and two secondary strategies of minimizing or maximizing the naturally occurring output of the attachment behavioral system, using a variety of cognitive, affective, and behavioral means. We review the large body of evidence for minimizing and maximizing strategies in infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Across a range of studies – including age groups and methodologies extending well beyond Main’s original work with infants – there is remarkable convergence of findings that support Main’s ideas. We conclude with several promising directions in implementing Main’s groundbreaking ideas to enrich future research and clinical applications.

Adult Parental Attachment and Adolescent Psychological Problems: Mediating Role of Adult Emotional Processes in the Family

The study explores the mediation roles of parent emotion regulation and emotional reactivity in the relationship between adult parental attachment and adolescent psychological problems. The study group consisted of 324 parents. The findings reveal that secure adult attachment to both parents correlates with fewer adolescent psychological issues. Notably, adult emotional reactivity and parent emotion regulation partially mediate this relationship, highlighting distinct mediation pathways for emotional reactivity and parent emotion regulation in attachment to both mothers and fathers. This contributes new insights into parent-child relationships and adolescent psychological health.

The mediating role of cognitive flexibility in home-school co-education and psychological well-being among Chinese vocational college students.

This study examines the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between home-school co-education (H-SCE) and depressive symptom among vocational college students in urban and rural areas of China. Utilizing the Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence, this research explores how H-SCE influences depressive symptom, considering cognitive flexibility as a key mediating factor. The study utilized established scales, including the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) for parent-child relationships, the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D10). A total of 1090 valid questionnaires were analyzed, revealing a significant negative correlation between H-SCE and depressive symptom. Cognitive flexibility was found to partially mediate this relationship, suggesting that enhanced cognitive adaptability, fostered through effective H-SCE, can reduce depressive symptom by helping students better cope with stressors. These findings underscore the importance of fostering strong collaboration between families and schools to enhance cognitive resilience and mitigate psychological challenges faced by vocational students, providing a foundation for targeted interventions to promote mental well-being.

Parental emotion socialization and parent-child attachment security: A meta-analytic review.

Although parental sensitivity is an established determinant of children's attachment security, effect sizes are modest, suggesting other aspects of parenting that might support secure attachment. Parental emotion socialization (ES) has been proposed as a parenting domain that is theoretically linked to secure parent-child attachment. The goal of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the strength of the relations between parental ES and attachment security in children under the age of 18. We conducted three meta-analyses assessing the links of supportive parental ES, nonsupportive parental ES, and parental elaboration with attachment security assessed with behavioral, representational, and questionnaire measures (ks = 9-11 samples; Ns = 576-1,763 participants). The relation between supportive ES and security was significant but very small (r = .06). The relation between nonsupportive ES and security was not significant (r = -.05). Parental elaboration emerged as a key correlate of secure attachment, with a medium effect size (r = .24), similar to the relation between sensitivity and attachment security. The findings underscore the need for further research to elaborate on the role of ES in the development of attachment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Hubungan Dukungan Teman Sebaya dan Kelekatan Orang Tua Terhadap Kecerdasan Emosional pada Siswa Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK)

The objective of this research is to determine the relationship between peer support and parental attachment with emotional intelligence in Vocational High School (SMK) students. The variables used in this study are peer support and parental attachment as independent variables (X) and Emotional Intelligence as the dependent variable (Y). The researcher employed a quantitative correlational approach with a sample of 247 students using proportionate stratified random sampling. The research instruments utilized adapted scales for emotional intelligence, peer support, and parental attachment. The emotional intelligence scale was adapted from the Assessing Emotional Scale (AES) with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability of 0.960, the peer support scale was adapted from the Peer Support Questionnaire (PSQ) with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability of 0.782, and the parental attachment scale was adapted from the Parental Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ) with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability of 0.820. The analysis results showed that the variables of peer support and parental attachment simultaneously indicated an R-Square score of 0.170 or 17.0%, suggesting that peer support and parental attachment are related to emotional intelligence by 17%, while the remaining 83% is influenced by other variables or factors outside of this study.

Mediators of Parental Attachment and Internalized Transnegativity for Korean Transgender and Nonbinary People

Internalization of stigmatizing messages from society is a primary risk factor for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people. To locate points of intervention for TNB people with a high level of internalized transnegativity, the present study examined predictors of internalized transnegativity in Korean TNB adults ( N = 268) using a multiple mediator model. We hypothesized that parental attachment would predict internalized transnegativity through the mediating effect of self-shame, rejection sensitivity, and self-concept clarity. The analysis provided partial support for the mediator hypothesis. The results were consistent with a model in which self-shame fully mediates the relation between parental attachment and internalized transnegativity, with no evidence of a mediating role for self-concept clarity or rejection sensitivity. This study shows that TNB individuals reporting insecure attachment with parents are more likely to experience internalized transnegativity, and the relation is largely accounted for by the indirect effect via general self-shame.

Associations and mediating factors between adverse childhood experiences and substance use behaviours in early adulthood: A population-based longitudinal study

BackgroundResearch has demonstrated positive associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and substance use behaviours in young adults. However, many of these are based on cross-sectional data. The pathway between ACEs and substance misuse among emerging adults is also not fully understood and few studies have investigated potential mediating factors. MethodsWe analysed data from the Child Cohort of the Growing Up in Ireland study, a nationally representative longitudinal sample of children recruited at 9 years of age (n = 4,729). Logistic regression was used to examine individual and cumulative ACE exposure relationships with substance use at age 20 years. Mediation analyses were used to assess whether parental and peer relationships and school engagement mediate ACE history associations with substance use behaviours. ResultsACE exposure relationships with current cannabis use, other illicit drug use and problematic drug use were observed. In particular, young adults who had experienced 2 ACEs or 3 + ACEs had an approximate two-fold (OR=1.80, 95 % CI: 1.29, 2.51) and approximate three-fold (OR=2.94, 95 % CI: 2.06, 4.19) increased odds of problematic drug use, respectively, when compared to participants who had experienced no ACEs during the study period. Mediation analyses suggested that parent and peer attachment and liking school partially mediate relationships between ACEs and substance use behaviours. ConclusionsChildren who have experienced ACEs are at higher risk of future substance use and problematic drug use. In supporting these children, identified mediators such as interpersonal relationships and school engagement may help guide selection of prevention interventions.