Attachment and behavior problems in middle childhood as reported by adult and child informants

Dev Psychopathol. 2006 Spring;18(2):425-44. doi: 10.1017/S0954579406060238.

Abstract

The predictive relation between attachment and mother, teacher, and self-reported psychopathology was examined for a diverse socioeconomic status French Canadian sample of 96 children. Attachment classifications were assigned on the basis of reunion behavior with mother when the children were approximately 6 years old, and child problem behavior was assessed 2 years later using the Child Behavior Checklist (mother report), the Social Behavior Questionaire (teacher report), and the Dominic Questionnaire (child self-report). Results indicated that both insecure/ambivalent and insecure/controlling children children were rated higher than secure children on a composite measure of externalizing problems. Concerning internalizing problems, only the controlling group was significantly higher on both a composite adult (teacher and mother) and self-report measure of internalizing problems. Analyses of clinical cutoff scores showed that only the controlling group had a significantly greater likelihood of overall problem behavior than other children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Perception
  • Psychology, Child*
  • Quebec
  • Reactive Attachment Disorder / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires