Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Development and validation of the adult attachment scale: assessing attachment in elderly adults
Abstract:
This study describes the development of a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess attachment in older adults: the Lipson-Parra Adult Attachment Scale (LAAS). The three-phase design included a critique of the initial 60-item instrument by a panel of experts, a pilot test with 16 respondents, and a field study with 211 respondents ranging in age from 65 to 99 years. The construct validity of the tool was established via factor analysis. A high alpha coefficient of .97 provided strong evidence for its reliability. Significant correlations were found between attachment scores and items regarding residential proximity, contact frequency, and the closeness of the parental relationships. One-way analysis of variance produced significant differences in means according to marital status, number of living children, and living arrangement. Subsequent testing of the revised 20-item LAAS on a sample of 202 respondents provided further support for the reliability and validity of the LAAS. With the development of a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess attachment in adults, a better understanding of bonds in older individuals will now be possible.
Related Concept Videos
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Attachment
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Attachment Styles
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles

