Correlates of Self-reported Attachment (In)security in Children: The Role of Parental Romantic Attachment Status and Rearing Behaviors

Abstract

We investigated the influence of self-reported parental romantic attachment status and rearing behaviors on children's self-reported attachment (in)security towards father and mother in a sample of 237 non-clinical children aged 9-12. All children and their parents completed a single-item measure of attachment style. The parents further completed an index of their authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive rearing behaviors. Results showed that the attachment status of the father was significantly related to the child's attachment style to the father. Further, children who portray themselves as insecurely attached to their fathers have fathers with lower average authoritative scores compared to children who are securely attached to their fathers. In examining the relative contribution of attachment style and rearing behaviors of the parents, insecure attachment status of the father was still significantly related to insecure attachment style of the child but the effect of authoritative rearing behaviors of the father on attachment (in)security of children was not statistically significant anymore. Altogether, these results support the notion that attachment status of the father was most substantially associated with selfreported insecure attachment of children.

Parents’ Self-Reported Attachment Styles

“…Fewer studies have examined the association between parents’ attachment styles and the attachment of their young children or infants. Roelofs, Meesters, and Muris (2008) found that fathers’ insecurity was significantly associated with their 9- to 12-year-old children’s reports of insecurity with father (no significant findings emerged in relation to mothers’ attachment styles). In addition, Coyl et al (2010) found that parents’ self-reported security was associated with the security of their preschool-aged children (based on parents’ ratings of items from the Waters & Deane [1985] Q-sort).…”

An adaptation of the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised for use with children and adolescents

“…Participants are asked to indicate how well each paragraph applies to their relationship with their primary attachment figure, using a 7-point scale varying from 'not at all' to 'very much'. There is evidence for the reliability and validity of the RQ-C in samples of children (Roelofs et al, 2006;Roelofs, Meesters, & Muris, 2008). Kovacs, 1985; Dutch translation by Timbremont & Braet, 2002).…”

Estilos parentais e relações de vinculação

“…No estudo de Roelofs e colaboradores (Roelofs, Meesters, & Muris, 2008), com crianças entre os 9 e os 12 anos, os autores utilizaram o Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) como medida do estilo de vinculação romântico; o Relationship Questionnaire for Children (RQ-C), a versão para crianças do questionário anterior; e o Parenting Practices Questionnaire (PPQ; Robinson, Mandleco, Olsen, & Hart, 1995) para avaliar os comportamentos parentais. As crianças com relações de vinculação inseguras ao pai têm pais com valores mais reduzidos no estilo autorizante, comparadas com as crianças com relações de vinculação seguras aos pais.…”