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Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Effects of intellectual disability and attachment on hostile intent attribution bias
Stéphanie Vanwalleghem1, Raphaële Miljkovitch2, Annie Vinter3
1Unité de Recherche CLIPSYD, UFR SPSE, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France.
Abstract:
Understanding hostile intent attribution (HIA) seems important for prevention of problems in social adaptation. This study aimed to explore whether HIA in childhood is determined by both a cognitive factor (i.e. intellectual disability) and an affective factor (i.e. attachment representations). One hundred and eight 8- to 12-year-old children (54 with intellectual disability and 54 with typical development) passed the Attachment Story Completion Task and the Intention Attribution Test for Children. Results indicated that in ambiguous situations, attachment disorganization was associated with HIA, whereas intellectual disability was not. In nonintentional situations, both attachment hyperactivation and intellectual disability were linked with HIA. These results highlight the importance of helping children develop organized attachment representations and optimal activation of their attachment system to prevent social maladaptation.
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