Adolescent-parent attachments and family problem-solving styles

Variation in exploratory and collaborative behavior among family members define different problem-solving styles or "paradigms" in families. Similar characteristics distinguish patterns of attachment within dyads. This suggests an association between these phenomena. The hypothesis was tested in a laboratory study of families with young adolescents. Using the Reiss Card Sort Procedure (CSP) and a newly developed scheme for classifying adolescent attachments, it was demonstrated that particular problem-solving styles were linked to specific patterns of adolescent-parent attachments. An association of paradigms and attachment patterns may afford a new perspective on the dialectical interplay between individual and family development. The probabilities of paradigm-attachment association could prove useful when choosing an intervention model for family therapy.