Adult Daughter-Mother Attachment: Psychometric Properties of Turkish Version of Adult Attachment Scale

Abstract

The present study aims to assess the psychometric qualities of the Turkish version of the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) assessing adult daughter’s current attachment to their elderly mother. In total, 560 women with the mean age of 39.6 have participated. Parallel to the original study, exploratory factor analysis was conducted with adult daughters ( N = 304) who were providing instrumental help to their mothers regularly. Results yielded 2 correlated factors (secure base and safe haven). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the factor structure is applicable to the adult daughters who were not providing regular help to their mothers ( N = 256). Measurement invariance was established across two groups constructed in terms of the presence of instrumental help provided to the elderly mothers by their adult daughters. Internal consistency and 6-month stability for the scale are satisfactory. Further evidence for convergent and concurrent validity has been supported by presenting a positive correlation of AAS with the level of significance of the mother in the adult daughter’s attachment hierarchy as compared to other attachment figures, levels of quality of the current relationship and the frequency of contact with the mother. Results are discussed in terms of AAS’s appropriateness for Turkish culture and possible contribution in an understanding attachment to a parent in late adulthood, a critical emerging need for the aging world.