Early caregiving predicts attachment representations in adolescence: findings from two longitudinal studies

O’Connor, Thomas G.; Woolgar, Matt; Humayun, Sajid; Briskman, Jackie; Scott, Stephen

doi:10.1111/jcpp.12936

Cited by 27 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…In addition, in future investigations, it would be interesting to enlarge and diversify the sample used, including longitudinal measurements taken at different times. This would make it possible to conduct causality studies and to more safely locate the variables that influence adolescent well-being [24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the emotional bonds established between a baby and its primary caregivers during early childhood might be influencing the future mental scheme teenagers form about themselves and the world around them [22,23]. Children whose primary caregivers, usually the mother and the father, were sensitive and responded appropriately to their needs, establish a bond of secure parental attachment and, as a consequence, foster a basic attitude of trust towards others [24]. From adolescence to mid-life, this could translate into more fluid and positive interpersonal relationships, thanks to more effective emotional and interpersonal skills [23,25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on existing research [3,6,42], subjective well-being was studied through satisfaction with life and both positive and negative affect, and physical well-being was studied through stress and somatic complaints. Following the procedure recommended by Baron and Kenny [50], the preconditions for mediation analysis are available in the literature: previous studies provide empirical evidence that the predictor variable (parental attachment) appears to be significantly related to the outcome variable (well-being) [22,26]; at the same time, the mediator variable (emotional competence) is significantly related to the predictor [23,24] and outcome variables [29,31]. Furthermore, this study is focused on sex and age-specific differences due to the fact that subjective well-being decreases from early to middle adolescence, with girls presenting lower levels than boys [51].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Attachment Styles and Well-Being in Adolescents: How Does Emotional Development Affect This Relationship?

Mónaco

Schoeps

Montoya‐Castilla

2019

IJERPH

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Attachment relationships with parents, as well as emotional competencies, are protective factors against stress and other physical, mental, and relational health symptoms in adolescence. In this paper, we will examine the mediating role of emotional competencies in the relationship between attachment to parents and the well-being of adolescents, taking into account the influence of gender. There were 1276 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 15 years old (M = 13.48; SD = 1.09). We measured mother and father attachment relationships (trust, communication and alienation), emotional competencies (perceive and understand emotions, label and express emotions, manage and regulate emotions), and adolescent well-being using the indicators: somatic complaints, stress, satisfaction with life and affectivity. Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlations, and a multi-group path analysis were performed. The results indicated that emotional competencies partially mediate the relationship between attachment to parents and well-being variables. Attachment to one’s mother and father, along with emotional competencies, are relevant variables in adolescent well-being. This highlights the importance of understanding the protective factors of well-being in adolescence, a time when levels of well-being are reduced compared to childhood.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Attachment Styles and Well-Being in Adolescents: How Does Emotional Development Affect This Relationship?

Mónaco

Schoeps

Montoya‐Castilla

2019

IJERPH

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“…Recent research suggests that individual differences in adolescent attachment security can be traced to earlier caregiving quality (O'Connor, Woolgar, Humayun, Briskman, & Scott, ). Fortunately, there are a number of programmes designed to improve attachment security in young children and accumulating evidence from trials that they are effective (Steele & Steele, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cost of love: financial consequences of insecure attachment in antisocial youth

Bachmann

Beecham

O’Connor

et al. 2019

Child Psychology Psychiatry

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Background: Knowing that your parent or caregiver will be there for you in times of emotional need and distress is a core aspect of the human experience of feeling loved and being securely attached. In contrast, an insecure attachment pattern is found in many antisocial youth and is related to less sensitive caregiving. Such youth are often distrustful of adults and authority figures, and are at high risk of poor outcomes. As they become adults, they require extensive health, social and economic support, costing society ten times more than their well-adjusted peers. However, it is not known whether insecure attachment itself is associated with higher costs in at-risk youth, independently of potential confounders, nor whether cost differences are already beginning to emerge early in adolescence. Methods: Sample: A total of 174 young people followed up aged 9-17 years (mean 12.1, SD 1.8): 85 recruited with moderate antisocial behaviour (80th percentile) from a school screen aged 4-6 years; 89 clinically referred with very high antisocial behaviour (98th percentile) aged 3-7 years. Measures: Costs by detailed health economic and service-use interview; attachment security to mother and father from interview; diagnostic interviews for oppositional and conduct problems; self-reported delinquent behaviour. Results: Costs were greater for youth insecurely attached to their mothers (secure £6,743, insecure £10,199, p = .001) and more so to fathers (secure £1,353, insecure £13,978, p < .001). These differences remained significant (mother p = .019, father p < .001) after adjusting for confounders, notably family income and education, intelligence and antisocial behaviour severity. Conclusions: Attachment insecurity is a significant predictor of public cost in at-risk youth, even after accounting for covariates. Since adolescent attachment security is influenced by caregiving quality earlier in childhood, these findings add support to the public health case for early parenting interventions to improve child outcomes and reduce the financial burden on society.Attachment security is a key concept beyond infancy into adolescence and predicts better adjustment and fewer mental health problems; it is related to the quality of caregiving.Youth who display antisocial behaviour have a higher incidence of insecure attachment and are at high risk of poor social and mental health outcomes.To date, no studies have looked at the cost implications of insecure attachment, despite it being an important trans-diagnostic risk factor.This study found that young adolescents at risk of poor outcomes through antisocial behaviour incurred greater costs if they were insecurely attached to their mothers. Cost differences were even greater for those who were insecurely attached to their fathers, and remained after controlling for potential confounders.The results support early intervention on public health grounds to promote good-quality caregiving through evidence-based parenting programmes to improve the well-being of children and young people and...

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“…Hormonal changes in adolescence push individuals to seek out a romantic partner, shifting the attachment relationship and replacing the parent at the top of the attachment hierarchy (Furman & Wehner, ). Despite this, research has found that early parental sensitivity in childhood is strongly associated with adolescent attachment security (O'Conner, Woolgar, Humayun, Briskman, & Scott, ). Furthermore, there is a strong link between infant attachment styles and adult romantic attachment types (Bartholomew & Horowitz, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal depression and infant attachment security: A meta‐analysis

Barnes

Theule

2019

Infant Mental Health Journal

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The purpose of this study is to clarify the magnitude of the association between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity, and to identify possible moderators of this relationship. An extensive literature search was conducted using multiple databases of both published and unpublished studies. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment security and to establish the effect size. The main findings from this meta-analysis, which included 42 studies, indicate that there is a small, yet significant, relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity. The rate of nonsecurity in infants of mothers with depression was approximately 20% higher than expected rates in a nonclinical population, and the association between depressive symptoms and nonsecurity was small, but significant. Infants of mothers with depression were nearly twice as likely to have a nonsecure attachment than were infants of healthy mothers. Depression measure and maternal sample source were identified as significant moderators of the odds ratio effect size. Results of this study demonstrate that there is a significant relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity, and suggest that interventions that focus on both maternal mental health and the attachment relationship are warranted. K E Y W O R D Sattachment, child development, depression, meta-analysis, mother-infant relations RESUMEN Propósito: Clarificar la magnitud de las asociaciones entre la depresión materna y la falta de seguridad en la afectividad del infante, así como identificar posibles moderadores de esta relación.Métodos: Se llevó a cabo una extensa búsqueda de la literatura existente usando múltiples bancos de información tanto de estudios publicados como de los no publicados. Se realizó un meta-análisis para determinar la relación entre la depresión materna y la seguridad de la afectividad del infante y establecer la dimensión del efecto.Resultados: Los principales resultados de este meta-análisis, el cual incluyó 42 estudios, indicaron que existe una pequeña pero significativa relación entre la depresión materna y la falta de seguridad en la afectividad del infante. La tasa de falta de seguridad en infantes de madres con depresión fue aproximadamente 20% más alta que la tasa esperada en una población no Infant Ment Health J. 2019;40:817-834. © 2019 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health 817 wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imhj PA L A B R A S C L AV E S depresión, afectividad, relaciones entre madre e infante, desarrollo del niño, meta-análisis RÉSUMÉ But: Clarifier la magnitude du lien entre la dépression maternelle et l'insécurité de l'attachement du nourrisson, et identifier des facteurs de modération possibles de cette relation. Méthodes: Une importante recherche sur les recherches a été faite en utilisant plusieurs bases de données comprenant à la fois des études publiées et des études non publiées. Une méta-analyse a été faite afin de déterminer...

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Early caregiving predicts attachment representations in adolescence: findings from two longitudinal studies

Cited by 27 publications

References 63 publications

Attachment Styles and Well-Being in Adolescents: How Does Emotional Development Affect This Relationship?

Attachment Styles and Well-Being in Adolescents: How Does Emotional Development Affect This Relationship?

The cost of love: financial consequences of insecure attachment in antisocial youth

Maternal depression and infant attachment security: A meta‐analysis

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