Negative reactivity and attachment: Down syndrome's contribution to the attachment-temperament debate

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J Ganiban1, D Barnett, D Cicchetti

  • 1Psychology Department, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.

Development and Psychopathology
|April 25, 2000
PubMed

Insights

This study examined negative reactivity and attachment in children with Down syndrome (DS). Low negative reactivity was not consistently linked to attachment behaviors or insecure attachment in DS infants.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Attachment security is crucial for child development.
  • Children with Down syndrome (DS) may exhibit atypical developmental trajectories.
  • Understanding attachment in DS is vital for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between negative reactivity and attachment organization in infants with Down syndrome (DS).
  • To determine if extremely low negative reactivity is associated with specific attachment behaviors in DS.
  • To explore the prevalence of different attachment types in children with DS.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study observing 30 infants with DS at 19 and 27 months.
  • Utilized Ainsworth's Strange Situation protocol to assess attachment.
  • Coded distress reactions and social interactive behaviors to classify attachment quality and negative reactivity levels.

Main Results:

  • High rates of Type A (insecure-avoidant) and Type D (disorganized) insecure attachments were observed in the DS population at both ages.
  • Low negative reactivity was not consistently associated with the activation of the attachment behavioral system.
  • No significant relationship was found between low negative reactivity and insecure attachment classifications in infants with DS.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that factors beyond negative reactivity contribute to the high rates of insecure attachment in children with Down syndrome.
  • Alternative explanations for insecure attachment patterns in this population warrant further investigation.
  • This research highlights the need for nuanced understanding of attachment in neurodevelopmental conditions.

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