Structure and validity of people in my life: A self-report measure of attachment in late childhood

Abstract

No self-report measure of attachment is well validated for middle-childhood. This study examined the validity and factor structure of the People in My Life (PIML) measure in 320 urban, fifth and sixth graders. Validity analyses consisted of correlational analyses between PIML subscales and the Child Behavior Checklist, Delinquency Rating Scale for Self and Others, Heath Resources Inventory, and Reynolds Child Depression Scale. Validity correlations were consistent with a-priori hypotheses. Confirmatory factor analyses consisted of comparison of model fit indices between seven models. Two models fit the data well and both models were consistent with the traditionally used PIML scoring protocol. Moreover, both models were consistent with the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), on which the PIML is modeled, as well as the theoretical underpinnings of attachment in childhood. The PIML and IPPA provide instruments for obtaining a continuous selfreport measure of attachment from middle-childhood through adulthood. KeywordsPeople in my life; Attachment; Late childhood; Factor analysis; Validity Attachment, defined as the type of enduring emotional bond that an individual has toward significant others such as family, friends, and close associates, has long been considered an important factor in social and psychological healthiness (Ainsworth et al., 1978; Bowlby, 1969 Bowlby, /1982Bowlby, /1973Hinde, 1982;Sroufe, 1978). Secure attachment with parents and/or peers in NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript adolescents is associated with life satisfaction, school achievement, self-esteem, and psychological adjustment (Armsden and Greenberg, 1987;Buhrmester, 1990;Bukowski et al., 1993;Hartup, 1996;Nickerson and Nagle, 2004). Children who form insecure attachments are at greater risk for experiencing psychopathology when they are older, even into adulthood (Allen and Land, 1999;Dozier et al., 1999). Hence, children's quality of attachment to others is associated with emotional and behavioral well-being in critical ways. Parental attachmentAttachment theory and research describe types of emotional bonds between parents and children, individuals and their friends and significant others. Some of the central goals of attachment theory and research are to specify the ideal types of attachments, how attachment to others might evolve developmentally as people mature, and the consequences of optimal and non-optimal attachments (Ainsworth, 1991; Bowlby, 1969 Bowlby, /1982Bowlby, /1973 Elicker et al., 1992). A child's attachment to a parent appears to serve as a model for other close relationships (Ainsworth, 1989;Bowlby, 1973;Hazan and Shaver, 1994). Secure attachment to a parent often is a prelude to successful interpersonal skills and intimate relationships (Black and McCartney, 1997;Madden-Derdich et al., 2002) and attachment to a parent remains even after attachments to peers are established (Hazan and Shaver, 1994;Hazan and Zeifman, 1994).However, the association betw...

The Indirect Effect of the Mindful Parenting of Mothers and Fathers on the Child’s Perceived Well-Being Through the Child’s Attachment to Parents

“…In the present sample, the instrument revealed good internal consistency with Cronbach's alphas of .83 (mothers) and .85 (fathers). Ridenour et al 2006) was used to assess the children's and adolescents' representations of the relationships with their parents, and therefore, the extent to which the parents are perceived as secure attachment figures. This scale includes three subscales: (1) Trust, which assesses the degree of mutual respect and trust in the relationship (e.g., "My parents respect my feelings"); (2) Communication, which assesses the quality of verbal communication with parents (e.g., "I talk to my parents when I am having a problem"); and (3) Alienation, which assesses negative affective-cognitive experiences in the relationship with parents, such as feelings of anger, isolation, and alienation (e.g., "I feel angry with my parents").…”

Peer Attachment: A Meta-analytic Review of Gender and Age Differences and Associations with Parent Attachment

“…While gender differences on general peer attachment as well as on trust and communication seemed to be well established, differences on alienation are less consistent (e.g., Nada Raja et al 1992;Ruijten et al 2011;Song et al 2009). In particular, some studies reported that males were more alienated than females (Gullone and Robinson 2005;Lapsley et al 1990;Pace et al 2011) while most studies reported no significant gender differences (e.g., Guarnieri et al 2010;Muris et al 2001;Nada Raja et al 1992;Nickerson and Nagle 2004;Noppe and Noppe 1997;Ridenour et al 2006;Ruijten et al 2011;San Martini et al 2009), with few studies reporting that females were more alienated than males (e.g., Song et al 2009). In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to synthesize literature on gender differences and to test which moderators could explain variations in the effects reported in previous studies.…”

Young Adolescent’s Confidence in Maternal Support: Attentional Bias Moderates the Link Between Attachment-Related Expectations and Behavioral Problems

“…Confidence in maternal support was estimated with the Trust-subscale of the People In My Life Questionnaire which is designed to measure 10 to 12-year-old children's representations of attachment figures (PIML, Ridenour, Greenberg, & Cook, 2006). This questionnaire is a child-friendly version of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1985), which assesses Trust in the attachment figures' support, Communication about distress, and Alienation from the attachment figure (e.g., Allen, Porter, MacFarland, et al, 2007;Belsky, Jaffee, Hsieh, & Silva, 2001).…”