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Attachment and internalizing behavior in early childhood: a meta-analysis
Sheri Madigan1, Leslie Atkinson, Kristin Laurin
1Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. sheri.madigan@sickkids.ca
Developmental Psychology
|June 13, 2012
Summary
Insecure attachment, particularly avoidant attachment, is linked to internalizing behaviors in children. This meta-analysis confirms a small to moderate association, highlighting early life relationships
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Empirical evidence linking insecure attachment to internalizing behaviors has been inconsistent.
- Attachment theory posits early relationships influence later psychological adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically synthesize existing research on the association between insecure attachment and internalizing behaviors.
- To quantify the effect size and identify moderators influencing this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of 60 studies involving 5,236 families.
- Analyzed effect sizes for insecure attachment, avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment with internalizing behaviors.
- Examined moderator variables including gender, age, and measurement methods.
Main Results:
- A significant small to medium effect size (adjusted d = .19) was found for insecure attachment and internalizing behaviors.
- Avoidant attachment showed a significant small to moderate association (d = .29).
- Disorganized attachment had a small effect size (observed d = .20) that was not significant after adjusting for publication bias.
Conclusions:
- Insecure attachment, especially avoidant, is associated with internalizing behaviors in early life.
- Effect sizes are generally small to moderate, indicating other factors also contribute to internalizing behaviors.
- Findings support the importance of secure early attachment for psychological well-being.
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