W3 TRIAL

Question 1

Does parent gender matter for caregiver secure attachment?

Answer 1

No. Studies show children can be securely attached to fathers. Fox et al. (1991): 65.5% of children securely attached to father.

Question 2

Does adoption matter for caregiver secure attachment?

Answer 2

Kind of. Van Den Dries et al. (2009): If adopted before 1 year old, no difference in attachment security. After 1 year, less secure attachment.

Question 3

What are the types of assisted reproduction?

Answer 3

IVF, DI (Donor insemination, mother only), ED (Egg donation, father only), Egg and sperm donation (no biological relation to either parent).

Question 4

Does assisted reproduction affect caregiver secure attachment?

Answer 4

No. Golombok et al. (1995): No difference in attachment security among IVF, DI, adopted, and naturally conceived children.

Question 5

Does caregiver sexuality affect secure attachment?

Answer 5

Yes. Golombok et al. (1997): Higher secure attachments in lesbian and single heterosexual mothers than heterosexual couples.

Question 6

Does the type of caregiver matter for attachment?

Answer 6

Not as much as caregiver sensitivity. Quality of relationships and environment are more influential.

Question 7

What is the sensitivity hypothesis?

Answer 7

Fearon & Roisman (2018): Variation in attachment is largely due to environmental factors, primarily caregiver sensitivity.

Question 8

What is parental sensitivity?

Answer 8

Ainsworth, Bell & Stayton (1974): The ability to perceive, interpret, and respond appropriately and promptly to infant signals.

Question 9

What are the components of parental sensitivity?

Answer 9

Awareness of signals, Interpretation (accuracy via empathy), Appropriate response, Promptness (timing with infant cues).

Question 10

What defines a highly insensitive caregiver?

Answer 10

Focuses on own moods/needs, initiates self-focused interactions, responds inappropriately or with delay.

Question 11

What defines a highly sensitive caregiver?

Answer 11

Sees child’s perspective, responds promptly to subtle cues, offers suitable responses.

Question 12

Is parental sensitivity associated with child attachment?

Answer 12

Not really. Ainsworth (1978): sample of 23 found r = 0.78 (huge correlation) on mothers and infants.

Repeated same study , De Wolff and Van Ijzendoorn (1997) sample of 1666 found r = 0.22 on mothers and infant. Did not find same results

Question 13

What is temperament?

Answer 13

Individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation (e.g., fearfulness, mood stability).

Question 14

Do child temperemant affect attachment outcomes?

Answer 14

Yes. Child temperament (e.g., fearfulness, mood volatility) can affect attachment outcomes.

A child less likely to approach novel situations are fearful, and also stability of mood can lead to a positive or negative affect.

If a child is highly volatile, fearful child and a really sensitive parent better chance of being securely attached.

Question 15

Is there evidence against genetic influence on attachment?

Answer 15

Yes. Geert-Jan et al. (2002): Adoptive parents’ sensitivity still predicts attachment.

Question 16

What is the intergenerational transmission model?

Answer 16

Attachment patterns are passed across generations through caregiving behavior shaped by one’s own attachment.

Question 17

How are attachment styles transmitted intergenerationally?

Answer 17

Van Ijzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg (2019)

An autonomous caregiver attachment (a secure attachment towards your parents) typically results in sensitive caregiving, leading to a secure child attachment.

A dismissive caregiver attachment (an avoidant attachment towards your parents) typically results in caregiving that is insensitive to distress, leading to an avoidant child attachment.

A preoccupied caregiver attachment (an anxious attachment towards your parents) typically results in caregiving that is insensitive to non-distress, leading to a resistant child attachment.

Question 18

What did Verhage et al. (2016) find on intergenerational transmission?

Answer 18

Biological: r=.31; Adoptive/foster: r=.26. Suggest MODERATE CORRELATION BIOLOGICAL INTEGERNRERATIONAL TRANSMISSION AND LOW FOR ADOPTIVE–> ITNERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION IS GENETIC

Question 19

What are criticisms of the sensitivity hypothesis?

Answer 19

Unidimensionality is questioned. The hypothesis may oversimplify parenting by focusing primarily on sensitivity, potentially overlooking other significant dimensions of care.

Meins (2017) suggests that focusing on the secure/insecure distinction may be too narrow.

Other Parenting Factors: Children’s attachment security is influenced by more than just sensitivity. For example, “mind-mindedness” (using appropriate mental state terms) is also linked to attachment security (Zeegers et al., 2017), indicating a broader influence.

Cultural Universality: The hypothesis’s universal applicability is questioned, as most research is conducted in Western, urban settings. Mesman et al. (2018) highlight culture-specific expressions of sensitive caregiving.

Question 20

What is the competence hypothesis?

Answer 20

Secure attachment supports confident exploration, learning, and development of competence and self-efficacy.

Question 21

What are internalizing problems?

Answer 21

Inward issues like anxiety or depression; emotional distress not visible to others.

Question 22

What are externalizing problems?

Answer 22

Outward behaviors like aggression or defiance; impacts others.

Question 23

Why does attachment matter for mental health?

Answer 23

**Healthy Attachment: **When a child experiences stress, a sensitive caregiver’s response fosters a healthy working model. The child views others as supportive, themselves as worthy, and the world positively.

Insecure Attachment:
Lack of responsive care can lead to insecure attachment.
Insecure-resistant attachment is associated with internalizing problems.
Insecure-avoidant attachment is associated with externalizing problems.
Disorganized attachment is associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems.

Question 24

How is disorganized attachment linked to mental health?

Answer 24

Fearon et al. (2010) meta-analysis shows:

Insecure attachment is linked to more problems than secure attachment (positive d values).
This link is stronger in males than females.
Disorganized attachment has a notable association with problems.

Question 25

What did Groh et al. (2012) find on internalizing problems?

Answer 25

​**​Groh et al. (2012): Attachment & Internalizing Problems** Insecure attachment (overall) slightly linked to more internalizing problems (d=0.15). Avoidant attachment shows a stronger link to internalizing problems (d=0.17). Resistant and disorganized attachment show no significant link (ns).

Question 26

Is attachment related to later mental health?

Answer 26

Yes, attachment is related to later mental health. According to meta analysis done by **Groh et al. (2012)...** People with insecure attachment have a higher likelihood of experiencing both internalizing and externalizing mental health problems compared to those with secure attachment. People with resistant attachment are more likely to experience externalizing problems, but there is little to no connection with internalizing problems.

Question 27

How is secure attachment linked to social competence?

Answer 27

Groh et al. (2014): Securely attached children have higher social competence.

Question 28

What are confounding factors in meta-analyses?

Answer 28

*Confounding factors (e.g., temperament) were not considered. *Focusing on biological parents may introduce genetic confounds. *Lack of true longitudinal designs limits understanding of the direction of association. *No causal evidence: Interventions are needed to establish causality. *Specificity issues: The role of distinct types of insecurity is unclear. * Security is associated with a wide range of outcomes, potentially limiting specificity.

Question 29

How did Stams et al. (2002) address confounds?

Answer 29

**Stams et al. (2002) studied adopted children, looking at how temperament, parenting, and attachment relate to social skills and behavior problems.** **Difficult temperament:** Less social skills, more externalizing (e.g., aggression, defiance) and internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety, withdrawal). **Sensitive parenting:** Better social skills, but surprisingly, slightly more externalizing and internalizing problems too (though weakly). **Secure attachment:** More social skills, less externalizing problems. No significant link to internalizing.

Question 30

What are some key ideas about competence hypothesis?

Answer 30

Attachment isn’t necessary or sufficient for mental health. Likely multiple paths exist like equifinality (where diff risk factors lead to same disorder) or multifinality (a given risk factor gives rise to multiple disorders)