Adult attachment and preparing to provide care for older relatives

Abstract

A normative developmental task of middle-aged adults is to consider older family members' care needs. Preparing for future caregiving responsibilities may be an important way to prevent excessive stress responses when the caregiver role is taken on. The present study investigates the extent to which attachment style and dimensions of attachment insecurity predict whether middle-generation adults prepare for possible future caregiving responsibilities, feel prepared for these responsibilities and are satisfied with their preparation activities. Middle-generation parents of undergraduate students (N = 141) were sent questionnaires assessing adult attachment style, attachment insecurity, preparation for future care activities, feelings of preparedness, and satisfaction with preparation. Results suggest that secure attachment style and lower attachment insecurity had limited associations with preparation activities, whereas the associations with feelings of preparedness were more robust. Moreover, attachment variables predict feelings of preparedness even after controlling for the influence of actual preparation behaviors. Separate analyses for individuals already providing care vs. those not yet providing care suggest that secure attachment may be more important in predicting preparation activities for individuals not yet providing care.

The relationship between attachment style, depressive symptoms, and social support: a survey of caregivers

“…Previous research has shown that attachment is significantly related to perceived burden (Carpenter, 2001;Cicirelli, 1993;Crispi, Schiaffino, & Berman, 1997;Karantzas, Evans, & Foddy, 2010), perceived symptoms (Monin, Schulz, & Kershaw, 2013), well-being (Perren, Schmid, Herrmann, & Wettstein, 2007), feelings of preparedness to and satisfaction with providing care (Sorensen, Webster, & Roggman, 2002), and willingness to provide care (Feeney & Hohaus, 2001;Karantzas et al, 2010). In all of these studies secure attachment is consistently associated with more positive outcomes.…”

Models of self and others and their relation to positive and negative caregiving responses.

“…Negative model of self (attachment anxiety) has been related to feeling less prepared (Sörensen, Webster, & Roggman, 2002), providing less care (Carpenter, 2001; Cicirelli, 1993; Feeney & Collins, 2001; Kim & Carver, 2007), less responsiveness (Daire, 2002; Ingebretsen & Solem, 1998; Markiewicz, Reis, & Gold, 1997), and more caregiver burden (Carpenter, 2001; Cicirelli, 1993; Crispi, Schiaffino, & Berman, 1997). Among spousal caregivers, the frequency of caregiving may be a function of both attachment and gender, with negative model of self and male gender related to less caregiving (Kim & Carver, 2007).…”

The relation between attachment and intergenerational support

“…Empirical studies have indicated that middle-aged children's feelings of attachment were directly associated with their feelings of preparedness for future caregiving of parents (So¨rensen et al 2002) and with their commitment to help their parents in the future, while the relation to present support was mediated by the adult children's frequency of contact (Cicirelli 1983). Middleaged daughters' secure attachment to their elderly mothers (as well as their feelings of obligation) were positively associated with the time the daughters invested in instrumental support for their mothers (Cicirelli 1993).…”