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Early childhood attachment stability and change: a meta-analysis.
Jessica E Opie1,2,3, Jennifer E McIntosh1,2,3,4, Timothy B Esler5
1Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Attachment & Human Development
|August 11, 2020
Summary
Attachment security shows moderate stability in early childhood. Secure attachment is the most stable form, but publication bias may affect findings.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Childhood Attachment Studies
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Understanding developmental pathways and informing interventions rely on assessing attachment stability in early childhood.
- Previous meta-analyses provide a foundation for this comprehensive examination of attachment classification stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the levels of stability for all attachment classifications across early childhood.
- To update and build upon existing meta-analyses concerning attachment stability.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of studies assessing attachment using the Strange Situation Procedure.
- Assessment of attachment stability across three developmental epochs: infancy, toddlerhood, and preschool/early school.
- Inclusion of studies with homogeneous data based on the Strange Situation Procedure.
Main Results:
- Moderate stability was found for both four-way (secure, avoidant, resistant, disorganized; κ = 0.23) and secure/insecure (r = 0.28) attachment classifications.
- Meta-regression analysis identified secure attachment as the most stable organizational form.
- Evidence of publication bias was detected, indicating a tendency to publish significant findings.
Conclusions:
- Attachment classifications exhibit moderate stability throughout early childhood.
- Secure attachment represents the most enduring attachment pattern.
- The presence of publication bias necessitates cautious interpretation of findings.
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