Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025
06:04
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
1.2K
The reliability of clinical, history-based attachment classifications: an exploratory study
Renate Gericke1, Katherine Bain1
1Psychology Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health
|March 17, 2020
Summary
Classifying children's attachment styles using developmental histories showed poor accuracy when compared to the Attachment Story Completion Test (ASCT). This highlights potential misdiagnosis and treatment issues in child mental health.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Mental health professionals often use combined methods like interviews and clinical impressions to classify children's attachment styles.
- The validity and reliability of attachment classifications based solely on developmental histories have not been previously studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the accuracy of attachment style classifications derived from developmental histories.
- To compare history-based attachment classifications with those obtained from a standardized measure.
Main Methods:
- Attachment classifications were made based on intake interviews with 35 children (8-12 years) and their caregivers.
- These history-based classifications were compared against classifications derived from the Attachment Story Completion Test (ASCT).
- The study analyzed the agreement between classification methods.
Main Results:
- A poor association was found between attachment classifications based on developmental histories and those obtained using the ASCT.
- This indicates low reliability and validity of history-based methods for attachment style assessment.
Conclusions:
- History-based attachment classifications may lead to misclassification of children's attachment styles.
- Potential misclassification has significant implications for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning in child mental health services.
More Related Videos
07:56Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10.5K
09:55Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
13.0K
Related Concept Videos
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
48.5K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
48.5K
01:20Attachment
420
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
420
01:24Attachment Styles
184
Jeffrey Simpson's attachment theory suggests that early caregiver relationships shape lasting patterns of behavior and emotional regulation, known as attachment styles. These patterns are organized along two key dimensions: self-esteem and interpersonal trust. The intersection of these dimensions produces four primary attachment styles that typically persist throughout life and significantly influence how individuals form and maintain relationships.Secure Attachment StyleIndividuals with a...
184
01:28Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles
314
Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in...
314
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
170
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
170
02:30Naturalistic Observations
16.9K
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
16.9K