Normative Trends in Children's Perceptions of Availability and Utilization of Attachment Figures in Middle Childhood

Abstract

Two studies addressed the normative aspects of attachments to mothers and fathers in middle childhood. Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons, we tested the hypothesis that children show no changes in perceptions of availability of attachment figures across the later middle childhood years, but do utilize attachment figures less at older ages. The first study included a cross-sectional comparison of third and sixth graders, and the second study was a follow-up on the third graders when they were in fifth grade. Both studies suggested a decline in utilization, but not in perceptions of availability of attachment figures within the later middle childhood years. Study 1 also demonstrated that children turn to parents to meet attachment needs, and peers to meet companionship needs. Study 2 examined individual differences in attachment by exploring how changes in attachment to mothers from third to fifth grade were related to children's social adjustment at fifth grade. Increases in perceptions of availability forecast better emotional and behavioral regulation at fifth grade. Changes in utilization of attachment figures showed both linear and nonlinear relations to regulation. Bowlby's (1982Bowlby's ( , 1979 theory of attachment has provided one framework for conceptualizing the nature and significance of parent-child bonds. Bowlby's theory is broad in scope, addressing both normative patterns of change as well as the precursors to and sequelae of qualitative differences in attachment. To date, most of the research on attachment has been focused on individual differences and, consequently, less is known about normative changes in attachment, particularly beyond infancy.The main goal of the present studies was to examine whether there are changes in children's perceptions of their utilization of attachment figures in the later middle childhood years. In addition, Study 1 examined whether children at this age direct attachment behavior to parents or to peers, and Study 2 examined how changes in attachment are related to children's later social and emotional development.

Putting eggs in more than one basket: A new look at developmental processes of attachment in adolescence

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A gyermekkori játéktevékenységre való visszaemlékezés és a felnőttkori félelmek kapcsolata: játék zárt helyen és a szabadban

“…Az anya, gyermeke autonómia törekvéseit támogatva megtanulja, hogy feleslegesen ne akadályozza őt, hagyja érvényesülni a társaival való játék során (Barcsi és mtsai, 2017; Kerns, Tomich, & Kim, 2006;Mérei és V. Binét, 2006). A gyermek és a szülő kreatív kapcsolata leglátványosabban félelmektől mentes játékkörnyezet-ben teljesedik ki (Hámori, 2015;Hendricks, 2015).…”

Sibling Relationship Quality: Associations With Marital and Coparenting Subsystems

“…Once their children enter school, parents report interacting less than half as much with them as they did prior to school (Hill & Stafford, 1980). Despite this shift, parents still serve as an important source of emotional support and attachment during middle childhood (Kerns, Tomich, & Kim, 2006). As expectations and the capacity for self-regulation increases, there is typically a decrease in the frequency of children's emotional outbursts and the need for parental disciplinary action .…”