Review

Abstract

Attachment theorists have described the parent–child attachment relationship as a foundation for the emergence and development of children’s capacity for emotion regulation and coping with stress. The purpose of this review was to summarize the existing research addressing this issue. We identified 23 studies that employed validated assessments of attachment, which were not based on self-report questionnaires, and separated the summary into findings for toddlers/preschool, children, and adolescents. Although most associations were weak and only a minority of the multiple possible associations tested was supported in each study, all studies (but one) reported at least one significant association between attachment and emotion regulation or coping. The evidence pointed to the regulatory and coping problems of toddlers showing signs of ambivalent attachment or the benefits of secure (relative to insecure) attachment for toddlers, children, and adolescents. Toddlers who showed signs of avoidant attachment relied more on self-related regulation (or less social-oriented regulation and coping), but it was not clear whether these responses were maladaptive. There was little information available regarding associations of ambivalent attachment with school-age children’s or adolescents’ emotion regulation. There were also few studies that assessed disorganized attachment.

Attachment and emotion regulation: A person‐centred examination and relations with coping with rejection, friendship closeness, and emotional adjustment

“…Finally, some individuals are found to be high in both attachment anxiety and avoidance. Individuals who fall into this category are often labelled as disorganized, and often experience the greatest maladjustment, because they alternate between both forms of insecurity and have greater difficulty with self-soothing when experiencing threat (Cassidy, 2008;Zimmer-Gembeck et al, 2017).…”

“…Building on classic theory, working models of attachment, and attachment anxiety and avoidance, have been described as closely associated with the development of emotional responding and regulation (Allen & Miga, 2010;Brenning & Braet, 2013;Mikulincer, & Shaver, 2019;Mikulincer et al, 2003;Zimmer-Gembeck et al, 2017). More specifically, individuals are more likely to demonstrate specific patterns of responding and regulating emotional threat, depending on the working model of attachment (i.e., secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized) that is most endorsed.…”

Modelling goal adjustment in social relationships: Two experimental studies with children and adults

“…Moreover, besides individual characteristics, the social environment has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the development of behaviours, personality, ER, coping, and goal pursuit (Reitz, Zimmermann, Hutteman, Specht, & Neyer, 2014;Rusbult, Finkel, & Kumashiro, 2009;Ryan, 2001;Salmela-Aro, 2009;Tolan & Grant, 2009;Zimmer-Gembeck & Skinner, 2016). Moreover, attachment theory views parent-child relationships as the cradle of regulation skills and a blueprint for later romantic relationships (Zimmer-Gembeck et al, 2015). Moreover, attachment theory views parent-child relationships as the cradle of regulation skills and a blueprint for later romantic relationships (Zimmer-Gembeck et al, 2015).…”

Parenting and children's representation of interpersonal relations: foreign research review

“…Ненадежные типы привязанности у детей не очень тесно, но значимо связаны с проблемами эмоциональ-ного совладания и регуляции эмоций [24], а также -с худшим пониманием своих и чужих эмоций [11]. Однако при рассмотрении в более широком контексте «модели психического» (theory of mind) получены про-тиворечивые результаты.…”

“…Однако данные о том, какой именно тип ненадежной привязанности связан с тревожностью, противоречивы. Обзорные работы предполагают, что наиболее последовательно такая связь обнаруживается для дезорганизованной привязанности.Ненадежные типы привязанности у детей не очень тесно, но значимо связаны с проблемами эмоциональ-ного совладания и регуляции эмоций [24], а также -с худшим пониманием своих и чужих эмоций [11]. Однако при рассмотрении в более широком контексте «модели психического» (theory of mind) получены про-тиворечивые результаты.…”