Messinger1 What security of attachment predicts. Messinger2 Review n Most infants are attached but only 2/3 of infants are typically securely attached.

Messinger 1

What security of attachment predicts

Messinger 2

Review

Most infants are attached but only 2/3 of infants are typically securely attached.

There is strong but limited experimental evidence and extensive evidence from meta-analyses that caregiver sensitivity predicts secure attachment

What does secure attachment predict? 

Messinger 3

What does secure attachment predict? Describe the stability (or instability) of attachment security

as in infancy? What evidence supports the idea that attachment security

predicts the timing of puberty in girls? What does insecure and disorganized attachment predict in

childhood? Describe and explain correspondences between parental

and infant security of attachment. EC. Describe the effects of double insecurity. 10 points.

The figure was correct.

Messinger 4

The Big Question

How do early experiences of attachment relationships impact later relationships?

Through behavioral and then internal representations of what can be expected from relationships

Messinger 5

Internal Working Models

Mental representations of the availability of the attachment figure and what to do when the attachment system is activated

• Mental rules for organizing, accessing, and limiting access to information relevant to attachment.

Impact individual differences in strange situation behavior and, hence, infant attachment classification.

What infant expects:

6

Evidence for Infants’ InternalWorking Models of Attachment. 2007.Susan C. Johnson, Carol S. Dweck, and Frances S. Chen

Messinger 7

The Big Question

How do early experiences of attachment relationships impact later relationships?– Early infancy to later infancy– Infancy to childhood– Infancy to adulthood– Infancy to parenthood

Messinger 8

Impact of early experiencesStability Attachment classification should be stable

– If you’re secure, you should remain secure

Or Transition should be linked to life-events

– Negative events: Secure -> Insecure– Positive events: Insecure -> Secure

9

Strange Situation classification shows only moderate stability

Similar to Seifer et al., MLS findings

And similar to Belsky, Campbell, Cohn, & Moore, 1996 findings

NICHD, 2001, Dev. Psy

Messinger 10

Stability of infant classification?

75% stability in ABC from 12 to 18 months– five studies of "nonrisk" samples, N = 205 (1980s)

46-55% (non-significant) ABC ‘stability’ from 12 to 18 months– 1 study with 3 independent samples (n = 125, n = 90,

and, with fathers (n = 120) (1990s)– Bigger single sample– Coding Disorganization may influence coding

• Belsky et al. 1996

Messinger 11

Large scale study stability

Modest stability for A, B, C, and D classifications from 15 to 36 months– Low maternal sensitivity from 24 to 36 months

predicted shift from secure to insecure– Higher maternal sensitivity from 24 to 36 months

predicted change from insecure to secure NICHD Early Child Care Research Network

Marginal stability for A, B, C, and D classifications from 18 to 36 months– Kappa = .06; p < .05

Maternal Lifestyle Study

Messinger 12

Disorganized stability

Disorganized infants show reasonably stable categorization in the Strange Situation – two studies; r=.34 over a mean of 25 months

Also have higher stress reactions (salivary cortisol) than other infants

• Meta-analysis: Van Ijzendoorn, Schuengel, & Bakermans-Kranenburg (1999)

Messinger 14

The Big Question

How do early experiences of attachment relationships impact later relationships?– Early infancy to later infancy– Infancy to childhood– Infancy to adulthood– Infancy to parenthood

Messinger 15

Is security a ‘vaccination’?

Most competent 3-yr-olds have both secure attachment (at 15 mo) & (relatively) high-sensitive mothering (at 24 mo)– NICHD Study of Early Child Care

Insecurely attached children who subsequently experienced high-sensitive mothering significantly outperformed secure children who subsequently experienced low-sensitive mothering.

Belsky, J. and R. M. P. Fearon (2002). "Early attachment security, subsequent maternal sensitivity, and later child development: Does continuity in development depend upon continuity of caregiving?" Attachment & Human Development 4(3): 361-387.

Sensitivitybeyond attachment

Messinger 16

Fraley, R. C., Roisman, G. I., & Haltigan, J. D. (2013). The legacy of early experiences in development: Formalizing alternative models of how early experiences are carried forward over time. Dev Psychol, 49(1), 109-126.

Messinger 18

Attachment & emotional development In 2nd and 3rd yrs, secure children less angry.

– Higher attachment less fear and anger at 33 mo Insecure children's negative emotions increased:

– Avoidant children fearful– Resistant children were most fearful / least joyful,

distress even in episodes designed to elicit joy.

– Disorganized/ unclassifiable children more angry. • Kochanska, G. Child Development. 2001, 72 474-490

Insecure & disorganized risk of externalizing problems Disorganized at elevated risk, weaker effects for

avoidance & resistance Meta-analysis, 69 samples (5,947).

– overall d = 0.31 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.40) • Larger effects for boys, clinical samples, observation-

based outcome assessments, attachment assessments other than the Strange Situation.

Fearon, R. P., M. J. Bakermans-Kranenburg, et al. (2010). "The significance of insecure attachment and disorganization in the development of children s externalizing behavior: A meta-analytic study." Child Development 81(2): 435-456.

Messinger 20

Nonsecure (avoidant) internalizing/externalizing

Messinger 21

Dis

orga

nize

d

exte

rnal

izin

g

(Groh, Roisman, van Ijzendoorn, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Fearon, 2012)

Based on 42 independent samples (N = 4,614),

Double insecurity Behavior problems(insecurity with dad key variable..)

Messinger 22

Messinger 24

But insecure attachment may have positive functions The function of attachment is safety Avoidance minimizes unfruitful attempts to elicit

caregiving Resistance maximizes attention to separation &

minimizes separation Even disorganization balances exposure to a

threatening but needed caregiver Security may not be the only way to ‘get it right.’

• Crittenden (Dahra Jackson)

Attachment and Maturation

Evolutionary framework– Does infant attachment

change maturation?– Does attachment signal

challenges an infant faces?– Away from Mental Health

conceptualization Difficult environment

=> Earlier menarche

Mattson 25

Belsky, Houts, & Fearon 2010

Attachment-Maturation Model

Early menarche: insecure over-represented

Is insecurity a better fit to certain environments?

Mattson

controlled for mother’s age of menarcheBelsky, Houts, & Fearon 2010

Messinger 28

Attachment and Children's Peer Relations

“Small-to-moderate” association between attachment security to mother and quality of children’s peer relations – meta-analysis of 63 studies indicates

Effects “higher for studies that focused on children's close friendships rather than on relations with other peers.” – Effects larger after early childhood

“Gender & cultural differences … minimal”– A Quantitative Review (Schneider et al ’2001)

Messinger 30

The Big Question

How do early experiences of attachment relationships impact later relationships?– Early infancy to later infancy– Infancy to childhood– Infancy to adulthood– Infancy to parenthood

Messinger 32

Stability: Infant to adult

2 studies report significant levels of stability between infant attachment security and adult security

2 studies do not – But 1 did not use a traditional strange situation

In all studies, negative life events associated with transitions from infant security to adult insecurity– But negative life events (e.g. divorce, parental

depression) are not the same in all studies

Messinger 33

The Big Question

How do early experiences of attachment relationships impact later relationships?– Early infancy to later infancy– Infancy to adulthood– Infancy to childhood– Infancy to parenthood

Messinger 34

Overview

Introduction to the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)

Correspondence between parents’ security of attachment (from AAI) and their children’s security of attachment

Practice the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)

Messinger 35

A Big Question

Do parents’ representation of their own attachment experiences relate – presumably through their own parenting behaviors – to the attachment classification of their children in the next generation?

To answer such questions, attachment theory has moved to the level of representation.

Messinger 36

In adulthood

Internal working models impact attachment behavior– Mental representations of the availability of the

attachment figure – What to do when the attachment system is

activated Purpose of the Adult Attachment Interview

is to classify these internal working models.

Messinger 37

Interview

18 questions with follow-up probes, semi-structured, hour-long, transcribed verbatim– 5 adjectives describing each parent with

supporting (or contradicting) memories– what occurred when upset (when the

attachment system was activated)– impact of those experience on current

functioning– current relationship with parents

Messinger 38

Adult Attachment Interview

Messinger 39

How Speakers are Categorized

As Autonomous (secure), Dismissing (avoidant), or Preoccupied (resistant)– And, independently, as Unresolved/Disorganized

Not based on experiences themselves But on speaker’s current relationship to the

experiences– how they’ve processed their past

Based on the coherence of their discourse

Messinger 40

Discourse coherence

Adherence or violation of Grice’s maxims of coherent discourse– Quality: Have evidence for what you say.– Quantity: Be succinct but complete. – Relation: Be relevant.– Manner: Be clear and orderly.

Helps categorize speakers as autonomous, dismissing, or preoccupied– Disorganized categorized in 3 main categories

Messinger 41

Specifics of the Hypothesized Link Autonomous parents are sensitively responsive

and promote security Dismissive parents avoid acknowledging

attachment needs of infants – who respond by minimizing attachment needs and

becoming avoidant

Preoccupied parents do not respond to infant attachment needs predictably– Who respond by chronic attempts to achieve security

Messinger 42

Correspondence

Adult state of mind Infant SS behavior Autonomous

– Coherent narrative

Dismissing – Generalized normalizing

without specific examples

Preoccupied– Long, entangled narratives

Unresolved– Lapses in reasoning

Secure - – Soothed by parent

Avoidant – Does not make contact with parent

or express attachment needs

Resistant – Not comforted by parent

Disorganized– No coherent strategy

Messinger 43

Autonomous (secure)

“Presentation and evaluation of attachment-related experiences is coherent and consistent and their responses are clear, relevant, and reasonably succinct” whether or not experiences themselves were positive or negative.

• (van IJzendoorn, 1995, p. 388)

Messinger 44

Dismissing (Avoidant)

Minimize attachment-related experiences– Avoid activating attachment system

Describe parents with positive adjectives that are unsupported or contradicted by memories that are recounted – Violating the quality maxim

Messinger 45

Preoccupied (Resistant)

Preoccupied by attachment figures and attachment-related experiences.– Attachment system chronically activated

Transcripts tend to be lengthy and unfocussed– Violating the quantity maxim

Messinger 46

Unresolved - Disorganized Link

Unresolved parents are frightened or frightening in dealing with attachment issues.

Infants often respond to a parent who is threatening rather than comforting with disorganized attachment behavior– No clear strategy.

Messinger 47

Validity of AAI

Classifications are stable– 2 months, 3 months, 1.5 years

Not related to IQ measures– 6 of 7 studies

Discourse style relates to attachment– not interviews about job

Messinger 48

Parent-Infant Attachment Correspondence Meta-analysis of 13 studies using three major

categories 75% secure vs. insecure agreement (K=.49) 70% three-way agreement (K=.46)

– Prebirth AAI show 69% three-way agreement (K=.44)

• Bakermans-kranenburg, M. J. & Vanijzendoorn, M. H. (1993). A Psychometric Study of the Adult Attachment Interview - Reliability and Discriminant Validity. Developmental Psychology, 29, 870-879.

Messinger 52

Parent-Infant Correspondence

Parental Attachment

Dismissing AutonomousPreoccupied

Insecure-Avoidant

Count

(ExpectedCount)

116

(51.2)

46

(105.5)

27

(32.3)

Secure

Count

(ExpectedCount)

53

(109.1)

304

(225.0)

46

(68.9)

Infa

nt

Att

ach

men

t

Insecure-Resistant

Count

(ExpectedCount)

10

(18.7)

19

(38.5)

40

(11.8)

Messinger 53

Parent-Infant Attachment Correspondence Meta-analysis of 9 studies (k=9, n=548)

using four major categories Secure versus insecure, 74% Four-way agreement, 63%

– Prebirth AAI show 65% four-way agreement

• Which parent category is not so strong a predictor of infant category?

Messinger 54

Parent-Infant Correspondence Parental Attachment Dismissing Autonomous Preoccupied Unresolved

Insecure-Avoidant

Count (Expected

Count)

62

(23)

29

(58)

14

(10)

11

(25)

Secure Count

(Expected Count)

24

(57)

210

(144)

14

(25)

39

(62)

Insecure-Resistant

Count (Expected

Count)

3

(6)

9

(14)

10

(3)

6

(6)

Infa

nt A

ttach

men

t

Disorganized

Count (Expected

Count)

19

(23)

26

(59)

10

(10)

62

(25)

Messinger 56

How might link work?

Parental attachment accounted for 12% of variation in observed parental responsiveness– Meta-analysis of 10 studies (r = .34)

Parental sensitive responsiveness is, in turn, associated with infant attachment security– van Ijzendoorn meta-analysis (r = .22)

Messinger 57

Putting the pieces together

Total Observed association, r = .47(Direct * Direct) + Indirect = Total(.34 * .22) + .40 = .47

Parent InternalWorkingModel

SensitiveRespon-siveness

Attachment Security

r = .34 r = .22

.40

Messinger 58

Breaking the Link

Parental attachment is not formed by past experiences but by current orientation to past.

Supportive experiences with a partner, friend or therapist can allow for earned autonomy in the face of experiences that would otherwise be associated with insecurity.

Messinger 59

Interview

Interview a partner about one attachment figure focusing on questions 2 through 4

Each person analyzes their own responses– no comments form partner

Only share what you want to share

Messinger 60

Adult Attachment Interview

Messinger 61

How to Think About What You’ve Said Scales associated with autonomous category

– coherence, metacognitive monitoring

Scales associated with dismissing category– Idealization of attachment figures, insistence on lack of

memory for childhood, dismissal of attachment-related experience/relationships

Scales associated with preoccupied category– anger expressed toward attachment figure,

passivity/vagueness in discourse

Longitudinal predictors of adult attachment Ongoing environmental impacts

– continued parental sensitivity– social functioning– friendship

Messinger 62

“What struck me,” said Apted, “is how valuable the family is. At 56, for people who put energy

into families, there was a big payback.”Carter

Attachment has important implications for adult functioning

• But relies on adult self-reported attachment– Untested core assumption of adult attachment

• Follow up of NICHHD-Early Child Care and Youth Development @ age 18– Maternal sensitivity– Social competence– Quality of peer relationships – Fraley, et al., 2013

Carter

Early care impacts later attachment

Est. early sensitivity received

Est. change in qual. of care

Maternal SensitivityMaternal Depression

Father Absence

Social Competence (M)

Social Competence (T)

Friendship Quality

Carter

Fraley, et al., 2013

Temperamental & Genetic Factors

Temperament

No statistically significant

temperamental antecedents of

adult attachment styles

Gene & Gene X Environment

No main effects of genetic

variables previously studied

C allele of HTR2A

(serotonin receptor gene)

Homozygous = ↑ global

attachment related anxiety

Carter

Messinger 70

References

The Adult Attachment Interview:Historical and Current Perspectives

– (Hesse, 1999) Adult attachment representations, parental responsiveness, and infant

attachment: A meta-analysis on the predictive validity of the Adult Attachment Interview

– (van IJzendoorn, 1995)

Van Ijzendoorn, M. H., Schuengel, C., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (1999). Disorganized attachment in early childhood: Meta-analysis of precursors, concomitants, and sequelae. Development and Psychopathology, 11, 225-249.

Instability of infant-parent attachment security. Belsky, Jay; Campbell, Susan B.; Cohn, Jeffrey F.; Moore, Ginger. Developmental Psychology. 1996 Sep Vol 32(5) 921-924