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Convergent validity and stability of secure base script knowledge from young adulthood to midlife
Theodore E A Waters1, Christopher R Facompré1,2, Or Dagan2
1Department of Psychology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Attachment & Human Development
|October 12, 2020
Summary
Attachment representations, like the secure base script, are thought to be stable. This study found moderate stability of secure base script knowledge from adolescence to midlife, supporting assessment validity.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Attachment theory proposes that early caregiver interactions form lasting mental representations.
- These attachment representations, including the secure base script, are believed to remain consistent throughout development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the convergent validity of major secure base script knowledge measures.
- To examine the longitudinal stability of secure base script knowledge from late adolescence to midlife.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Examined empirical convergence between two secure base script knowledge measures (N=141).
- Study 2: Assessed stability of secure base script knowledge from adolescence to midlife in high- and normative-risk cohorts (N=113).
Main Results:
- Study 1 found evidence for convergent validity between measures (r = .50).
- Study 2 revealed moderate rank-order stability (r = .43) of secure base script knowledge, irrespective of cohort risk status.
Conclusions:
- Results support the validity of assessments measuring secure base script knowledge.
- Attachment representations demonstrate moderate stability across early adulthood and into midlife.
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