Numerous studies have investigated the effects of having an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy on parents. Less is known about the long-term effects of unwanted or unplanned pregnancy on the child and his or her personality. Here we examined in one correlational study and three experiments the associations between birth status (being unwanted, unplanned, or neither) and adult attachment. In general, being unwanted, and to a lesser extent unplanned, was associated with attachment insecurity. Priming thoughts about being an unwanted baby resulted in decreased state attachment security and increased state attachment insecurity. These findings suggest that birth status and knowledge about it play a role not only in parents’ but also in children’s lives—affecting their attachment and mental representation into adulthood.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.