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What do adult attachment scales measure?
H Stein1, N J Jacobs, K S Ferguson
1Child and Family Center, Menninger Clinic, Topeka, KS 66601-0829, USA.
Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
|April 3, 1998
Summary
Adult attachment patterns are measurable in infancy and stable into adulthood. Various assessment tools, from interviews to questionnaires, evaluate these patterns across different relationship domains.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Attachment patterns emerge in infancy and demonstrate remarkable stability into adulthood.
- Adult attachment research draws from multiple theoretical traditions.
- Numerous assessment tools have been developed to quantify adult attachment styles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the theoretical background of adult attachment research.
- To examine the format and psychometric properties of various adult attachment measures.
- To discuss unresolved questions in adult attachment measurement.
Main Methods:
- Review of theoretical frameworks in adult attachment.
- Analysis of the psychometric properties of diverse assessment tools (interviews, questionnaires).
- Synthesis of studies comparing different measurement approaches.
Main Results:
- Attachment patterns are measurable by 12 months and tend to persist.
- Assessment tools vary in format, scope (childhood vs. current relationships), and psychometric rigor.
- Comparative studies highlight differences and similarities between measures.
Conclusions:
- The study of adult attachment benefits from a variety of measurement perspectives.
- Understanding the strengths and limitations of different tools is crucial for accurate assessment.
- Further research is needed to address ongoing questions in adult attachment measurement.