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Do attachment representations predict depression and anxiety in psychiatrically hospitalized prepubertal children?

Geoff Goodman1, Martha Stroh, Adina Valdez

  • 1Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, NY 11548, USA. ggoodman@liu.edu

Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
|September 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Children with disorganized attachment styles showed higher rates of depression and lower self-esteem. Clinical interventions should address children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Attachment theory is crucial for understanding child development.
  • Inpatient settings present unique challenges for assessing child attachment.
  • Previous research indicates links between insecure attachment and psychopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine attachment representations in prepubertal inpatients.
  • To investigate the association between attachment styles and mental health outcomes.
  • To inform clinical interventions for children with attachment difficulties.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty-six prepubertal inpatients were assessed using videotaped storytelling tasks.
  • Attachment representations were classified based on narrative responses.
  • Children completed standardized measures for depression and diagnostic interviews.
  • Mothers provided demographic information.

Main Results:

  • Secure attachment was significantly lower than normative rates.
  • Anxious-ambivalent (C) and disorganized (D) attachment were elevated.
  • Disorganized attachment and responses correlated with negative self-esteem and depression.
  • Anxious-avoidant (A) attachment reduced separation anxiety risk, while C and D attachment increased it.

Conclusions:

  • Prepubertal inpatients exhibit distinct attachment patterns, with higher rates of insecure and disorganized attachment.
  • Disorganized attachment is linked to significant negative psychological outcomes, including depression and low self-esteem.
  • Clinical interventions must address the child's internal working model of parental relationships to improve feelings of security and reduce anxiety.

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