w3 Flashcards
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Does parent gender matter for caregiver secure attachment?
No! Studies have found that children have secure attachments to fathers. Fox et al. (1991) → 65.5% of children securely attached to father.
Does adoption matter for caregiver secure attachment?
Kind of. Van Den Fries et al. (2009) found that if a child is adopted before one year old, attachment security is similar to biological children. After one year, attachment is less secure.
What are the types of assisted reproduction?
IVF, Donor Insemination (DI), Egg Donation (ED), Egg and Sperm Donation.
Does assisted reproduction matter for caregiver secure attachment?
No. Golombok et al. (1995) found no difference in attachment security between IVF, DI, Adopted, or Natural conception.
Does the sexuality of the caregiver affect secure attachment?
Golombok et al. (1997) found higher levels of secure attachment in lesbian mothers and single heterosexual mothers than in heterosexual couples.
So does the type of caregiver matter?
Caregiver type (number, gender, orientation, biological relation) is less influential than the quality of family relationships and the social environment. Caregiver sensitivity matters most.
What is the sensitivity hypothesis?
Caregiver sensitivity to infant attachment cues is the primary environmental determinant of attachment security.
What is parental sensitivity?
Parental sensitivity is the ability to perceive and interpret infant signals to respond appropriately and promptly (Ainsworth, Bell & Stayton, 1974).
What are the components of parental sensitivity?
Awareness of signals, interpretation of signals, appropriate response, and promptness.
What’s the spectrum of parental sensitivity?
Highly insensitive caregivers focus on their own needs, delay responses, and ignore infant cues. Highly sensitive caregivers respond promptly, accurately interpret cues, and offer appropriate alternatives.
What design is used to measure parental sensitivity and attachment?
Cross-sectional studies describe associations, longitudinal studies track predictors over time, and intervention studies test causality.
What would an intervention study look like?
Baseline assessments → Randomly assign parents to training or control → Post-test assessment.
Is parental sensitivity associated with child attachment security?
Correlation studies (Ainsworth, 1978; De Wolff & Van Ijzendoorn, 1997) suggest an association, but causality is unclear.
What is temperament?
Temperament refers to individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation, including fearfulness and mood stability.
Are there child-driven effects on parents?
An infant’s temperament (heritable) may affect attachment security. Fearful or volatile children may form secure attachments with sensitive parents.
Is parental sensitivity mediated through genetic factors?
No evidence. Adoptive parents’ sensitivity is associated with child attachment security (Geert-Jan et al., 2002).
What impacts parental sensitivity?
Parental attachment representation, measured via Adult Attachment Interviews, influences parental sensitivity.
What is the intergenerational transmission model?
Explains how attachment patterns are passed through generations via caregiver attachment, caregiving, and child attachment.
How are specific attachment styles transmitted?
Autonomous caregivers → Secure child attachment. Dismissive caregivers → Avoidant child attachment. Preoccupied caregivers → Resistant child attachment.
What did Verhage et al. (2016) find about intergenerational transmission?
Biologically-related caregivers had a moderate correlation (r = .31), while adoptive/foster caregivers had a lower correlation (r = .26), suggesting reduced genetic influence.
What are the criticisms of the sensitivity hypothesis?
Unidimensionality is questioned. Other factors like ‘mind-mindedness’ and cultural variations are also important.
What is the competence hypothesis?
Secure attachment allows children to explore confidently, develop self-efficacy, and gain competence.
What is internalising?
Internalising problems involve inward distress (e.g., anxiety, depression).
What is externalising?
Externalising problems involve outward behaviors (e.g., aggression, defiance).
Why might attachment matter for mental health?
Healthy attachment fosters a positive self and world view. Insecure attachment is linked to internalising/externalising problems.
What study shows externalising problems and attachment?
Fearon et al. (2010) found insecure attachment linked to more externalising problems, stronger in males.
What study shows internalising problems and attachment?
Groh et al. (2012) found insecure attachment slightly linked to internalising problems, with avoidant attachment showing the strongest link.
Is attachment related to later mental health?
Yes. Groh et al. (2012) meta-analysis found insecure attachment linked to internalising and externalising problems.
What’s the relationship between attachment and social competence?
Groh et al. (2014) found secure attachment associated with higher social competence.
What do we need to consider about these meta-analyses?
Confounding factors, lack of true longitudinal studies, no causal evidence, and specificity issues.
How do we address these potential confounds?
Stams et al. (2002) studied adopted children: Difficult temperament linked to more social and behavioral problems; sensitive parenting helped social skills but weakly affected behavior problems.
What are some considerations about the competence hypothesis?
Attachment security is unlikely to be a sole cause of mental health issues. Multiple risk paths exist, including equifinality (different factors leading to the same disorder) and multifinality (one factor leading to multiple disorders).
