How Do I Connect? Attachment Issues in Adolescence

Abstract

Attachment formation is considered a developmental process that continues far beyond infancy and early childhood. Yet the research on adolescent attachment formation remains relatively modest. This article reviews the normative and pathological developmental trajectories of attachment during adolescence. Specific attention is focused on the assessment of attachment in adolescence and different classification systems developed to describe adaptive and maladaptive adolescent attachment. The review continues with an examination into the predictors associated with secure versus insecure attachment in adolescence. Finally, forensic considerations are explored.

Adolescent-Parent Attachment and Externalizing Behavior: The Mediating Role of Individual and Social Factors

“…Security of attachment facilitates cognitive abilities (e.g., memory and comprehension) and social understanding (Fonagy and Target 1997 ). Insecure attachment organizations are characterized by the defensive exclusion of information or inability to integrate different types of information about attachment experiences, which may lead to distorted communications and negative expectations of self in relationship with others (Cassidy et al 1996 ; Dodge 1993 ; Shumaker et al 2009 ). Children internalize negative experiences with their parents as insecure internal working models of attachment (Blatt and Homann 1992 ), which have been linked to poor mentalizing abilities (Fonagy and Target 1997 ), hampering perspective taking and making adolescents vulnerable to egocentric bias and self-serving cognitive distortions, defined as “inaccurate attitudes, thoughts or beliefs concerning own or others’ behavior” (Gibbs et al 1995 , p. 165).…”

The Influence of Paternal Spirituality and Attachment on Boys’ and Girls’ Characters in Junior High School

“…The differences between boys and girls can be explained by the natural conditions in the development and controlling hormone (Ngun et al, 2010). The attachment towards the father categorized in moderate because during the adolescent stage, the boys and girls, try to lessen their attachment with the parents as the primary caregiver to improve their social skill (Shumaker, 2010). According to Freeman et al (2010), the fathers have their way in having an attachment with their children compare to mothers whereas becoming the main figure of the children in supporting their confidence to explore and interact with the physical and social environment.…”

Attachment, parenting styles and bullying during pubertal years

“…In contrast, the revisionist perspective assumes that early representations are flexible and can be modified when new relationships are formed (Fraley 2002). However, the adolescents' conceptualisation of attachment appears far more complicated than what is experienced in infancy and early childhood (Shumaker, Deutsch and Brenninkmeyer 2009).…”

“…Negative emotions specifically activate attachment patterns (Zimmermann, Mohr and Spangler 2009). Shumaker et al (2009) emphasises two similar but distinct constructs that appear to contribute to the concept of attachment, namely state of mind and attachment styles, which needs to be considered. State of mind refers to attachment representations as a set of rules on a conscious and subconscious level that describes how a person interprets or conceptualises an attachment-related experience.…”