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Assessing both safe haven and secure base support in parent-child relationships
Kathryn A Kerns1, Brittany L Mathews, Amanda J Koehn
1a Department of Psychological Sciences , Kent State University , Kent , OH , USA.
Attachment & Human Development
|May 13, 2015
Summary
This study differentiated safe haven and secure base support in children aged 10-14. Findings indicate distinct maternal and paternal roles in child attachment, impacting school adjustment and coping.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Attachment Theory
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Attachment theory defines a child's use of a caregiver as a safe haven and secure base.
- Previous research on older children primarily assessed safe haven behaviors.
- This study aimed to differentiate and assess both aspects of parental support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To separately examine correlates of safe haven and secure base support from parents in 10-14-year-old children.
- To investigate the convergence of interview and questionnaire methods in assessing attachment.
- To explore gender-specific parental contributions to attachment.
Main Methods:
- Modified versions of the Friends and Family Interview and Security Scale Questionnaire were used.
- Assessments included both interview and questionnaire data for safe haven and secure base support.
- The study involved 107 children aged 10-14 and their mothers and fathers.
Main Results:
- Interview and questionnaire methods showed convergence in assessing attachment.
- Both methods associated attachment with narrative coherence.
- Children reported greater safe haven support from mothers and secure base support from fathers.
Conclusions:
- Secure base support is a significant component of father-child attachment.
- Both mother-child and father-child relationships are linked to children's school adjustment.
- Attachment security in children is multifaceted, with distinct parental roles.
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