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Attachment and early reading: a longitudinal study.

A G Bus1, M H van Ijzendoorn

  • 1Department of Education, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|June 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Securely attached children show greater interest in reading. Early childhood attachment quality predicts later reading engagement, independent of intelligence or instruction.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Attachment Theory

Background:

  • Early childhood attachment quality is crucial for socio-emotional development.
  • Attachment security in infancy may influence later cognitive and academic interests.
  • Understanding predictors of early reading engagement is vital for educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between infant attachment quality and preschooler reading interests and skills.
  • To determine if attachment security predicts reading engagement beyond intelligence and prior instruction.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study involving 77 mother-child dyads.
  • Attachment quality assessed using the Strange Situation procedure at 24 months.
  • Reading interests, skills, and preparatory instruction assessed via maternal and teacher questionnaires at age 5; intelligence measured by Leiden Diagnostic Test.

Main Results:

  • Securely attached preschoolers demonstrated significantly higher interest in written materials compared to insecurely attached peers.
  • This association remained significant irrespective of children's measured intelligence.
  • The link between attachment security and reading interest was also independent of the amount of preparatory reading instruction received.

Conclusions:

  • Infant attachment security is a significant predictor of early reading interests in preschoolers.
  • Attachment quality may play a foundational role in fostering a child's engagement with literacy.
  • Findings highlight the importance of secure early relationships for later academic-related interests.

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