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The Significance of Insecure Attachment and Disorganization in the Development of Children’s Externalizing Behavior: A Meta‐Analytic Study
Author(s) -
Fearon R. Pasco,
BakermansKranenburg Marian J.,
Van IJzendoorn Marinus H.,
Lapsley AnneMarie,
Roisman Glenn I.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01405.x
Subject(s) - psychology , insecure attachment , developmental psychology , strange situation , externalization , meta analysis , mental health , clinical psychology , attachment theory , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology
This study addresses the extent to which insecure and disorganized attachments increase risk for externalizing problems using meta‐analysis. From 69 samples ( N = 5,947), the association between insecurity and externalizing problems was significant, d = 0.31 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.40). Larger effects were found for boys ( d = 0.35), clinical samples ( d = 0.49), and from observation‐based outcome assessments ( d = 0.58). Larger effects were found for attachment assessments other than the Strange Situation. Overall, disorganized children appeared at elevated risk ( d = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.50), with weaker effects for avoidance ( d = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21) and resistance ( d = 0.11, 95% CI: −0.04, 0.26). The results are discussed in terms of the potential significance of attachment for mental health.