Parenting and attachment Flashcards
Bio-behavioural model
Family processes (e.g. conflict, support, parenting style) influence a child’s:
-Emotional processes
-Biological processes (e.g. immune or stress responses)
These processes can either:
-Buffer (protect against)
-Or exacerbate (worsen) health issues
Wood et al. (2002):
Parental loyalty conflict (when a child feels torn between parents) → linked to higher stress and worse asthma symptoms.
Minde (1999):
Sensitive parenting → improved health in seriously ill children.
attachment and depression-
Roberts 1996-
depression= occurs through an internal working model
- attachment builds what we expect and our representation of ourselves- so if secure we have a positive internal working model (reflection on oneself).
insecurely attached= negative internal working model= later development of depression
Secure Attachment: Consistent, responsive caregiving leads to positive IWMs, fostering self-worth and resilience.
Health
Insecure Attachment: Inconsistent or neglectful caregiving can result in negative IWMs, characterized by feelings of unworthiness and expectations of rejection.
PMC
Link to Depression: Negative IWMs are associated with dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem, which can increase vulnerability to depressive symptoms.
attachment and anxiety-
Anxiety (Colonessiet al., 2011)
*Meta analysis of 46 studies (9000 kids).
*Effect size r = .30 of attachment on anxiety.(A moderate positive correlation between insecure attachment and anxiety)
*Especially ambivalent attachment.
*Especially during adolescence.
*No particular aspectof anxiety implicated
however- Study Design: Cross-sectional studies demonstrated stronger associations compared to longitudinal studies
attachment and peer relationships-
Grossman & Grossman (1991)
*Secure more ‘popular’ and sensitive to other children <3
½ years, andhave more secure friends at age 10.
*Nickerson et al. (2008)
* Attachment related to friendship quality, intimacy with
friends, pro-social behaviour, less conflict with peers.
* Insecure - increased risk of being victim or bully
* Secure -more likely to defend victims
But, Theisen 2018= attachment are continuous. Even those securely attached become more avoidant during adolescence, due to hormones etc….
ER= Delgado et al., 2022-systematic review of 19 studies found that adolescents with secure parental attachment tend to form higher-quality peer relationships characterized by intimacy, trust, and effective communication. In contrast, insecure attachment was linked to difficulties in peer interactions.
