Attachment security representations in institutionalized children and children living with their families: links to problem behaviour.
Clin Psychol Psychother
; 19(1): 25-36, 2012.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21210496
ABSTRACT
The present work analyses differences in the attachment representations of institutionalized children as compared with children from low and high educational level living with their natural families. Participants were 91 Portuguese children, 52% girls, aged 48-96 months. There were three different groups 19 institutionalized children, 16 low educational level families' children and 56 from high educational level families'. Attachment representations were assessed for Security of the narratives of the Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT). Psychopathological symptoms were assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist for parents and caretakers. Verbal skills were assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised. Results show that institutionalized children have significantly lower security of attachment representations, less verbal skills and higher aggressive behaviour than the other two groups. Attachment representations were associated with social/withdrawal and aggression, independently of age, verbal skills and parents' education. The main effect of institutionalization on externalizing aggressive behaviour was completely mediated by the security of attachment representations.
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Familia
/
Niño Institucionalizado
/
Trastornos Mentales
/
Apego a Objetos
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
Límite:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Año:
2012
Tipo del documento:
Article