Child‐caregiver Attachment Representations in a Non‐Western Context: The Feasibility and Cultural Equivalence of Story Stems in Urban Ghana

Abstract

Story stem measures are an increasingly popular method for assessing the attachment representations of young children, but little is known of their cross‐cultural applicability. This study aimed to characterise the attachment representations in 73 five‐ to eight‐year‐old children in urban Ghana, West Africa, using the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) to test its feasibility, psychometric characteristics and concurrent associations with caregiver‐ and teacher‐rated child behaviour, and to conduct a qualitative thematic analysis of methodological observations. Among the classifiable cases (92 percent), all attachment classifications were observed, yielding a higher rate of secure attachment than in European samples. Inter‐rater reliability, internal consistency, and internal structure were reasonable and largely similar to European studies, although one structural difference was the separation of ‘child assuagement of distress’ from other secure‐related items. MCAST narratives were associated with teacher‐ and caregiver‐rated hyperactivity, but internal consistency was low in most Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scales. Possible culturally‐sensitive explanations for our psychometric and qualitative findings are discussed. Overall, story stems are a promising tool for accessing attachment representations in non‐Western samples, although modifications are likely to improve cross‐cultural equivalence when applied to non‐Western cultures. Further investigation is needed to link MCAST outcomes to parenting and socio‐emotional development.

A Comparison of Attachment representations to Mother and Father using the MCAST

“…The distribution of four‐way attachment classifications according to the MCAST was 73.5% secure (B) (n = 86), 9.4% avoidant (A) (n = 11), 15.4% ambivalent (C) (n = 18) and 1.7% disorganized (D) (n = 2) with respect to mother, and 68.3% secure (B) (n = 82), 16.7% avoidant (A) (n = 20), 10% ambivalent (C) (n = 12) and 5% disorganized (D) (n = 6) with respect to father. This attachment distribution is consistent with meta‐analytical data for this age group (Lucassen et al , ), but the proportion of secure attachments is somewhat higher than reported in other studies with the MCAST (Bernier & Miljkovitch, ; Wan, Danquah & Mahama, ). Correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate whether demographic variables (child's age, gender, and verbal intelligence) were related to the MCAST continuous subscales.…”

Learning for adaptation and 21st-century skills: Evidence of pupils’ flexibility in Rwandan primary schools

“…Finally, capturing reliable data from such young children through assessments and surveys presented certain practical difficulties. For example, some learners did not know their birth dates or even their age, and so it was necessary to rely on the information recorded in school registers (Mwaura et al, 2008;Wan et al, 2017). Future research would ideally corroborate pupils' responses on household factors with data collected from their parents, guardians or other caregivers.…”

Attachment and mentalization as predictors of outcome in family therapy for adolescent anorexia nervosa (Thesis)

“…Studies of test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change are required, as are studies investigating attachment measures in a range of different sociocultural contexts. Recent studies conducted in Africa and Asia (Sochos & Lokshum, 2017;Wan et al, 2017) are a welcome development for the field; more such studies are needed.…”