Adolescents’ Subtypes of Attachment Security with Fathers and Mothers and Self-Perceptions of Socioemotional Adjustment

Abstract

The study examined adolescents' secure attachment with both versus one parent, for deeper understanding of adolescents' perceptions of their socioemotional adjustment. Specifically, the current study aimed to identify different attachment profiles with father and mother among 203 adolescents aged 15 -17 years and to examine whether these profiles associated differently with their self-rated peer-network loneliness and peer-dyadic loneliness, positive and negative affect, and internalizing behavior problems. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that more adolescents were classified as securely attached to mothers than to fathers. No significant associations emerged between adolescents' sex and attachment classification distributions with mothers or fathers. Using k-means clustering methods, four distinct clusters emerged: secure attachment to both parents/to neither/to only father/to only mother. Tukey HSD and Scheffe procedures validated the attachment clusters, revealing significant inter-cluster differences on all of the adolescents' socioemotional measures. The current results also highlighted that the group of adolescents who felt securely attached to both parents was least vulnerable to experiencing socioemotional difficulties. In addition, secure attachment only to one's mother and not to one's father did not seem to act as a protective factor for these adolescents, with the exception of protection from peer-dyadic loneliness. Discussion focused on understanding the possible contribution of parent-adolescent secure attachment among these subgroups of typically developing adolescents.

Four‐model approach to adolescent–parent attachment relationships and adolescents' loneliness, school belonging, and teacher appraisal

“…Notably, the current findings demonstrating a higher incidence of secure attachment classification with mothers than with fathers among Israeli seventh and eighth graders substantiate prior research on younger children in middle childhood (Verschueren & Marcoen, ) as well as older adolescents (Al‐Yagon, ; Lieberman et al, ; Paterson, Field, & Pryor, ). Moreover, the insignificant gender differences found here for attachment security resemble prior findings for younger children in middle childhood (Booth‐Laforce et al, ) and for older adolescents in Grades 10–11 (Al‐Yagon, ).…”

“…Data from these studies on attachments to both parents, whether investigating single or multiple models, yielded mixed results. Several studies appeared to support the independence attachment model (Al‐Yagon, ; Liu, ; Verschueren & Marcoen, ), yet, some studies appeared to partially support the integration attachment model (Al‐Yagon, ; Verschueren & Marcoen, ), and other research mostly supported the hierarchy attachment model (e.g., Al‐Yagon, ; Duchesne & Ratelle, ). Adopting the multimodel methodological approach employed by Verschueren and Marcoen () and by Liu (), this study aimed to simultaneously test all four conceptual models of attachment—monotropy, hierarchy, independence, and integration—among Israeli junior high school students.…”

Ergenlerde Akran İlişkileri

“…The attachment literature, on the other hand, generally states that parental attachment is the main source and pattern of social relations, such as peer relations (Damarlı, 2006;Günaydın & Yöndem, 2005). The consequence that attachment to mother doesn't predict peer relations is not consistent with the results of the related literature (Al-Yagon, 2011;Papini, Farmer, Clark, Micka & Barnett, 1990;Youniss & Smollar, 1985). Although it is a surprising situation that attachment to mother doesn't predict peer relations when we handle parental attachment separately as attachment to mother and attachment to father, there are also studies that emphasize that attachment to father is more important in situations which may affect peer relations such as having less conflict with friends in some studies which attachment to mother and father are examined (Lieberman, Doyle & Markiewicz, 1999).…”

“…While attachment to mother makes the individual always feel safe; attachment to father is considered as a preferred or referral support, especially during difficult times. That is, while mothers are acting as a more secure base; fathers work in situations and games that are more difficult (Al-Yagon, 2011). That attachment to mother is not a predictor of adolescents' peer relations can be explained as friendship relations established in adolescence contains social support rather than a desire to establish a deep relations and to feel safe.…”

“…In other words, attachment to mother or attachment to father differs in various forms of social relations. That is, while mothers are acting as a more secure base; fathers take charge in more difficult games and situations (Al-Yagon, 2011;Bretherton, Lambert & Golby, 2005;Parke & Burielm, 2006). Steele & Steele (2005) state that fathers are an important factor in children's gaining emotional and social behaviors in relations with their peers, and that mothers are effective in combining positive and negative experiences in children's autobiographical stories and in the development of emotions.…”