Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence: A systematic review of measurement properties. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jewell, Tom; Gardner, Tessa; Susi, Karima; Watchorn, Kate; Coopey, Emily; Simic, Mima; Fonagy, Peter; Eisler, Ivan
• Is Part Of: Clinical psychology review. Volume 68(2019)
• Page Start: 71
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Attachment -- Measurement -- Psychometrics -- Adolescence -- Validity -- Child development; Self-report measures: – -- SS Security Scale -- AAQ Adolescent Attachment Questionnaire -- AFAS Adolescent Friendship Attachment Scale -- AFAS–SF Adolescent Friendship Attachment Scale - Short Form -- AUAQ Adolescent Unresolved Attachment Questionnaire -- ASQ Attachment Style Questionnaire -- ECR–RC Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised for Children -- ECR-RS Experiences in Close Relationships – Relationship Structures -- ECR-R- GSF Experiences in Close Relationships – Revised – General Short Form -- IPPA Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment -- IPPA-B Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment- Brief version -- IPPA-45 Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment – 45 -- IPPA-R Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment – Revised -- IPPA-S Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment – Short Form -- PIML People in my Life. -- Observer-rated measures: – -- AAI Adult Attachment Interview -- AAP Adult Attachment Projective -- AAPQ Adolescent Attachment Prototype Questionnaire -- AQ-A Attachment Questionnaire – Adolescent Version -- ASCT Attachment Story Completion Task -- ASA Attachment Script Assessment -- BND Bird's Nest Drawing -- CYTM Can You Tell Me? -- CAPA Child Attachment and Play Assessment -- CAI Child Attachment Interview -- CMSSB Computerized MacArthur Story Stem Battery -- CMCAST Computerized Manchester Child Attachment Story Task -- FAI Family Attachment Interview -- FFI Friends and Family Interview -- GPACS Goal-Corrected Partnership Adolescent Coding System -- MCAST Manchester Child Attachment Story Task -- SAA School-age Assessment of Attachment -- SBST Secure Base Script Test -- SAT Separation Anxiety Test; Clinical psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Pathological -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychology, Clinical -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.12.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-7358

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Attachment theory proposes that humans develop representations of self and other in early childhood which are relatively stable across the life-course, and play a key role in psychological adaptation. However, to date, the psychometric properties of attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence have not been evaluated in a systematic review. Method: A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42017057772) was conducted using COSMIN criteria. Two researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PsychINFO and Embase databases for relevant articles. Results: Fifty-four studies were included in the review. The methodological quality of studies was typically fair or poor, with only a small number of studies being rated as of good or excellent quality. The measurement properties of attachment measures in this age group were frequently rated as inadequate according to COSMIN criteria. The Child Attachment Interview (CAI) has the best psychometric properties of the interview and projective measures, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) the best evidence of the self-report measures. Overall, the evidence for the CAI and IPPA included both positive and negative findings relating to adequacy of measurement properties. Conclusions: Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence currently have limited evidence for the adequacy of their psychometric properties. Highlights: Attachment insecurity is known to be a risk factor and correlate of psychopathology. This review is the first to systematically appraise the psychometric properties of all attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence. Only a small number of attachment measures developed for middle childhood and adolescence have adequate measurement properties. Interview and projective measures of attachment should be used cautiously in clinical practice. Our findings converge with evidence from both infancy and adulthood in pointing to the underlying structure of attachment as being dimensional.