Attachment in children and teens

This and the next blog are going to address attachment. First, Dagan et al. (2023) published “Configurations of Mother-Child and Father-Child Attachment Relationships as Predictors of Child Language Competence: An individual participant data meta-analysis” in Child Development. Here’s the edited abstract:

An individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted to test pre-registered hypotheses about how the configuration of attachment relationships to mothers and fathers predicts children's language competence. Data from seven studies (published between 1985 and 2014) including 719 children (Mage: 19.84 months; 51% female; 87% White) were included in the linear mixed effects analyses. Mean language competence scores exceeded the population average across children with different attachment configurations. Children with two secure attachment relationships had higher language competence scores compared to those with one or no secure attachment relationships (d = .26). Children with two organized attachment relationships had higher language competence scores compared to those with one organized attachment relationship (d = .23), and this difference was observed in older versus younger children in exploratory analyses. Mother–child and father–child attachment quality did not differentially predict language competence, supporting the comparable importance of attachment to both parents in predicting developmental outcomes.

This is a large sample study with important results. It makes sense that children who are securely attached to both parents are better able to develop language skills. The next study looks at different impacts. Trumbell, Posada, Anaya, Kim & Liu (2024) published “Child-Father and Child-Mother Attachment Relationships in Naturalistic Settings” in Child Development. The edited abstract follows:

This study examines paternal and maternal sensitivity as predictors of toddlers' attachment security in two naturalistic contexts. Seventy-three mostly White middle-class families participated between 2015 and 2019 when children (49.3% girls) were approximately 29.48 months old. Each child–parent dyad completed a home and playground visit. Findings revealed paternal and maternal sensitivity were significantly associated at home and marginally at the playground. Paternal sensitivity was only predictive of security to the father at the playground, showing a medium effect, while small effects of maternal sensitivity on security to the mother were found in both contexts. Cross-parent contributions to security were small and limited to the playground. The need to consider the greater ecology of child-parent relationships and suggestions for larger-scale research are discussed.

This is a smaller sample of slightly older toddlers. We’ve known that parents’ sensitivity is important. I found it interesting that dad’s sensitivity is predictive of security on the playground. Since dads are important playmates, it may be that when dad is less sensitive, children’s confidence in play is affected. I also like the emphasis on the ecology of child-parent relationships. Dugan, Fraley, Jones, Stern, Shaver, Lejuez & Cassidy (2024) published “Coordination of Parent and Adolescent Attachment across Time” in Developmental Psychology.  The edited abstract and impact statements follow:

Adolescence is a period of rapid social changes that may have important implications for the ways adolescents think, feel, and behave in their close relationships. According to family systems theory, adolescents’ attachment-related changes have the potential to spread throughout their family system, leading to coordinated changes in parents’ and adolescents’ attachment styles over time. The present study analyzed data from 205 adolescents (MageT1 = 14.0, SD = 0.9; 44% female, 56% male; 51% White, 33% African American, 3% Hispanic/Latino, 1% Asian American, 12% another race/ethnicity) and their parents (196 mothers, 105 fathers; median household incomeT1 = $100,000) who completed self-report measures of their general attachment styles annually for 5 years. Using a latent growth curve framework, we examined the extent of coordination among adolescents’ and parents’ long-term trajectories and shorter term fluctuations in attachment security. The results revealed a push-and-pull dynamic between mothers’ and adolescents’ long-term trajectories of attachment security. Mothers who reported higher initial levels of attachment anxiety tended to have adolescent children who reported higher initial levels of avoidance. Additionally, adolescents who increased in attachment avoidance over time tended to have mothers who increased in attachment anxiety. Mothers and fathers mirrored each other’s patterns of attachment security as their children navigated their teenage years, reporting similar initial levels of attachment avoidance and synchronized shorter term fluctuations in attachment anxiety and avoidance across time. 

This study suggests that parents and adolescents show coordinated changes in attachment security over time, highlighting the importance of family dynamics during the teenage years. Mothers who become increasingly worried that close others will abandon them tend to have adolescents who “pull away” and become more avoidant. Mothers and fathers report co-occurring ups and downs in attachment security, remaining in tune with one another as their children navigate adolescence. 

Here we have teens and research emphasizing parents’ roles in attachment as their children mature. It makes sense to me that moms with high attachment anxiety have teens with attachment avoidance and their interaction worsens the situation for both mom and teen. I also found it interesting that parents mirrored each others’ patterns of attachment security. I imagine that parents with widely divergent attachment styles (1) don’t volunteer for research and (2) are more often divorced before their kids are teens. Taken together, these studies illustrate the power of parent-child attachment relationships.