Multisystem physiological reactivity during help-seeking for attachment needs in school-aged children: differences as a function of attachment

Borelli, Jessica L.; Gaskin, Gerin E.; Smiley, Patricia A.; Chung, Debbie; Shahar, Ben; Bosmans, Guy

doi:10.1080/14616734.2021.1913874

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Other studies also found evidence for a more adaptive stress regulation in those with an insecure-preoccupied attachment pattern. For example Borelli et al (2021) found similar results in 8-12 years old children with an insecure-preoccupied attachment status. When imaging proximity to a caregiver, these children demonstrated higher PNS reactivity which plays an inhibitory role and supports restoration while facilitating social engagement in low-threat environments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Secure Attachment Representation in Adolescence Buffers Heart-Rate Reactivity in Response to Attachment-Related Stressors

Gander

Karabatsiakis

Nuderscher

et al. 2022

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To date, we know very little about the effects of the differences in attachment classifications on the physiological correlates of stress regulation in adolescent age groups. The present study examined for the first time heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) during an attachment interview in adolescents. HR and HRV data were collected during a baseline assessment as well as during the administration of the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) in a community-based sample of 56 adolescents (26 females and 30 males, mean age = 16.05 years [SD = 1.10]). We additionally used the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) in 50% of our sample to test the convergent validity. Adolescents with a secure attachment representation showed a higher HRV from baseline to the AAP interview compared to those with an insecure-dismissing (Ds) and the unresolved group. A comparison between the two insecure attachment groups showed no significant difference related to HR and HRV. Cohen’s Kappa (κ = 0.81) revealed an almost perfect agreement between the AAP and the AAI for the four-group classification. Our results indicate that adolescents with a secure attachment representation are more capable of dealing with attachment-related distress which is represented in higher HRV during an attachment interview.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Secure Attachment Representation in Adolescence Buffers Heart-Rate Reactivity in Response to Attachment-Related Stressors

Gander

Karabatsiakis

Nuderscher

et al. 2022

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This tendency is thought to leave children in a state of prolonged distress when confronted with interpersonal challenges due to their immature capacity for self-regulation and need for aid from parents in regulating emotions [80]. Indeed, children higher on the deactivating dimension tend to show increased electrodermal activity in response to imagined situations that involve help-seeking behaviors toward caregivers, which may reflect fear and anxiety in circumstances where parental support is expected to be unavailable [123]. Relatedly, experimentally modifying children's interpretations of their parents' responses to distress as supportive, coupled with training children to orient their attention to their parents when distressed, increased their trust in parental support [124,125].…”

Section: Mis/match Between Attachment Patterns and Developmentally Appropriate Orientation Tendencies In Childhood Versus Adolescence/adumentioning

confidence: 99%

A Lifespan Development Theory of Insecure Attachment and Internalizing Symptoms: Integrating Meta-Analytic Evidence via a Testable Evolutionary Mis/Match Hypothesis

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Attachment scholars have long argued that insecure attachment patterns are associated with vulnerability to internalizing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety symptoms. However, accumulating evidence from the past four decades, summarized in four large meta-analyses evaluating the link between insecure attachment subtypes and internalizing symptoms, provide divergent evidence for this claim. This divergent evidence may be accounted for, at least in part, by the developmental period under examination. Specifically, children with histories of deactivating (i.e., insecure/avoidant) but not hyperactivating (i.e., insecure/resistant) attachment patterns in infancy and early childhood showed elevated internalizing symptoms. In contrast, adolescents and adults with hyperactivating (i.e., insecure/preoccupied) but not deactivating (i.e., insecure/dismissing) attachment classifications showed elevated internalizing symptoms. In this paper, we summarize findings from four large meta-analyses and highlight the divergent meta-analytic findings that emerge across different developmental periods. We first present several potential methodological issues that may have contributed to these divergent findings. Then, we leverage clinical, developmental, and evolutionary perspectives to propose a testable lifespan development theory of attachment and internalizing symptoms that integrates findings across meta-analyses. According to this theory, subtypes of insecure attachment patterns may be differentially linked to internalizing symptoms depending on their mis/match with the developmentally appropriate orientation tendency toward caregivers (in childhood) or away from them (i.e., toward greater independence in post-childhood). Lastly, we offer future research directions to test this theory.

show abstract

“…This tendency is thought to leave children in a state of prolonged distress when confronted with interpersonal challenges due to their immature capacity for self-regulation and need for aid from parents in regulating emotions (Sroufe, 2003). Indeed, children higher on the deactivating dimension tend to show increased electrodermal activity in response to imagined situations that involve help-seeking behaviors toward caregivers, which may reflect fear and anxiety in circumstances where parental support is expected to be unavailable (Borelli et al, 2021). Relatedly, experimentally modifying children's interpretations of their parents' responses to distress as supportive, coupled with training children to orient their attention to their parents when distressed, increased their trust in parental support (Bosmans et al, 2019;Verhees et al, 2020).…”

Section: Mis/match Between Attachment Patterns and Developmentally Appropriatementioning

confidence: 99%

A Lifespan Development Theory of Insecure Attachment and Internalizing Symptoms: Integrating Meta-Analytic Evidence via a Testable Evolutionary Mis/Match Hypothesis

Dagan¹,

Groh²,

Madigan³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Attachment scholars have long argued that insecure attachment patterns are associated with vulnerability to internalizing symptoms such as depression and anxiety symptoms. However, accumulating evidence from the past four decades, summarized in four large meta-analyses evaluating the link between insecure attachment subtypes and internalizing symptoms provide divergent evidence for this claim. This divergent evidence may be accounted for, at least in part, by the developmental period under examination. Specifically, children with histories of deactivating (i.e., insecure-avoidant) but not hyperactivating (i.e., insecure-resistant) attachment patterns in infancy and early childhood showed elevated internalizing symptoms. In contrast, adolescents and adults with hyperactivating (i.e., insecure-preoccupied) but not deactivating (i.e., insecure-dismissing) attachment classifications showed elevated internalizing symptoms. In this paper, we summarize findings from four large meta-analyses and highlight the divergent meta-analytic findings that emerge across different developmental periods. We first present several potential methodological issues that may have contributed to these divergent findings. Then, we leverage clinical, developmental, and evolutionary perspectives to propose a testable lifespan development theory of attachment and internalizing symptoms that integrates findings across meta-analyses. According to this theory, subtypes of insecure attachment patterns may be differentially linked to internalizing symptoms depending on their mis/match with the developmentally appropriate orientation tendency toward caregivers (in childhood) or away from them (i.e., toward greater independence in post-childhood). Lastly, we offer future research directions to test this theory.

show abstract

Multisystem physiological reactivity during help-seeking for attachment needs in school-aged children: differences as a function of attachment

Cited by 6 publications

References 43 publications

Secure Attachment Representation in Adolescence Buffers Heart-Rate Reactivity in Response to Attachment-Related Stressors

Secure Attachment Representation in Adolescence Buffers Heart-Rate Reactivity in Response to Attachment-Related Stressors

A Lifespan Development Theory of Insecure Attachment and Internalizing Symptoms: Integrating Meta-Analytic Evidence via a Testable Evolutionary Mis/Match Hypothesis

A Lifespan Development Theory of Insecure Attachment and Internalizing Symptoms: Integrating Meta-Analytic Evidence via a Testable Evolutionary Mis/Match Hypothesis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About