TY - JOUR
T1 - Attachment security in preschoolers with and without externalizing behavior problems
T2 - A replication
AU - Greenberg, Mark T.
AU - Speltz, Matthew L.
AU - Deklyen, Michelle
AU - Endriga, Marya C.
PY - 1991/10
Y1 - 1991/10
N2 - This study attempted to replicate previous findings that indicated that preschool-aged children with significant externalizing problems are more likely to have insecure attachment relations than nonproblem peers (Speltz, Greenberg, & DeKlyen, 1990). Fifty children (ages 3–6) and their mothers participated; 25 referred to a child psychiatry clinic for one of the DSM-IIIR Disruptive Behavior Disorders, and 25 matched comparisons without externalizing behavior problems. Attachment was measured at the time of referral using two separation and reunion sequences in a clinic context. We found that 80% of the clinic-referred children were classified as insecure, whereas only 28% of the comparisons were so classified (p <.001). Further, a high percentage of clinic insecure children showed a controlling pattern of attachment. Thus, the present study, with improved methodological rigor, provided an almost exact replication to previous results. The discussion focuses on what contribution attachment research can provide to a developmental psychopathology perspective on early externalizing disorders.
AB - This study attempted to replicate previous findings that indicated that preschool-aged children with significant externalizing problems are more likely to have insecure attachment relations than nonproblem peers (Speltz, Greenberg, & DeKlyen, 1990). Fifty children (ages 3–6) and their mothers participated; 25 referred to a child psychiatry clinic for one of the DSM-IIIR Disruptive Behavior Disorders, and 25 matched comparisons without externalizing behavior problems. Attachment was measured at the time of referral using two separation and reunion sequences in a clinic context. We found that 80% of the clinic-referred children were classified as insecure, whereas only 28% of the comparisons were so classified (p <.001). Further, a high percentage of clinic insecure children showed a controlling pattern of attachment. Thus, the present study, with improved methodological rigor, provided an almost exact replication to previous results. The discussion focuses on what contribution attachment research can provide to a developmental psychopathology perspective on early externalizing disorders.
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U2 - 10.1017/S0954579400007604
DO - 10.1017/S0954579400007604
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84971946558
SN - 0954-5794
VL - 3
SP - 413
EP - 430
JO - Development and Psychopathology
JF - Development and Psychopathology
IS - 4
ER -