Parents’ secure base script knowledge predicts observed sensitive caregiving and discipline toward twin children.

Abstract

The present study investigated associations between parents’ secure base script knowledge and parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline in 461 families with 922 same-sex twin children (Mage = 7.00, SD = 2.18). In addition, we explored whether the strength of the associations between parents’ secure base script knowledge and parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline were similar for mono- and dizygotic twin siblings. Parental sensitivity was observed during a computerized version of a structured cooperative drawing task (Etch-A-Sketch). Sensitive discipline was observed during a “Don’t touch task” or during a “Do-Don’t task”. Parental sensitivity and discipline strategies were observed twice, once with each twin sibling. Parents’ knowledge of the secure base script was measured with the Attachment Script Assessment. Linear mixed model analyses showed that parents with more secure base script knowledge interacted with their twin children in a more sensitive manner and showed more sensitive discipline. These findings show for the first time that parents’ secure base script knowledge predicts not only parental sensitivity but also sensitive discipline. Associations between parents’ secure base script knowledge and parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline were not impacted by children’s similarity in genetic makeup. Future longitudinal studies utilizing multiple measures of sensitivity and discipline across the infancy, childhood, and early adolescence periods could provide more insight into the continuity of relations between secure base script knowledge and parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline.

Genetic, cognitive and intervention effects on parenting, child attachment and children’s psychobiology

“…Nevertheless, despite the extensive examination of these studies, the authors concluded that a "transmission gap" persisted of the correspondence between parental attachment representations and child attachment that is not explained by parental sensitivity. Other parental constructs might explain part of this gap, such as parental sensitive discipline, which has been found to be predicted by parental secure base script knowledge (Witte et. al., 2023).…”

“…In sum, in the current study we examined the intergenerational transmission of attachment model (Van IJzendoorn, 1995;Verhage et al, 2016) using the ASA with both parent and child . We investigated as mediators parental sensitivity, which has consistently been found to play a role in the transmission of attachment, and, additionally, parental sensitive discipline, which we have found to be also predicted by parental secure base script knowledge in an earlier study (Witte et al, 2023) and which might serve to further narrow the transmission gap. Moreover, we investigated the role of child genetic and temperamental differential susceptibility in the intergenerational transmission of attachment.…”

“…α = .70 in Waters et al, 2015) but acceptable (α = .65). See Witte et al (2023) for a more detailed description of the task.…”

“…These secure base scripts guide parents' behavior in their interactions with their offspring, such as sensitive caregiving and sensitive discipline (Waters & Roisman, 2019;Witte et al, 2023) and have also been found to be associated with child attachment (Verhage et al, 2016).…”