Jean-François Bureau

Stability of attachment during the preschool period.

Childrens attachment patterns at early preschool age and 2 years later as well as factors related to stability-instability were examined in a diverse socioeconomic status French Canadian sample of 120 children. Attachment was assessed during 2 laboratory visits using separation-reunion procedures when the children were approximately 3.5 (J. Cassidy & R. S. Marvin, 1992) and 5.5 (M. Main & J. Cassidy, 1988) years old. Overall, stability of attachment, based on 4-way classification, was moderate (68%, k = .47, p = .01). Change from security to disorganization was associated with the most dramatic decline in interactive quality with mother, lowest marital satisfaction, and greatest likelihood of severe attachment-related family events, namely, loss and parental hospitalization. Families of children who changed from security to organized insecurity presented levels of caregiving and marital dissatisfaction that fell between those of stable secure children and secure children who changed toward disorganization.

Developmental correlates and predictors of emotional availability in mother–child interaction: A longitudinal study from infancy to middle childhood

In this investigation we examined the developmental correlates and predictors of maternal emotional availability in interactions with their 7-year-old children among a sample of families at psychosocial risk. We found developmental coherence in maternal interactive behavior, and in the relations between maternal emotional availability and childrens functioning in middle childhood. Mothers and children were observed at home and in a laboratory playroom in infancy to assess maternal interactive behavior and child attachment security. When children were 7 years of age, dyads were observed in the lab; maternal emotional availability was coded using the Emotional Availability Scales, and childrens disorganized and controlling attachment behavior was assessed. Classroom teachers reported on childrens behavior problems; at age 8, children reported on their depressive symptoms. Results showed that aspects of maternal emotional availability (sensitivity, nonhostility, nonintrusiveness [passive/withdrawn behavior]) were associated with childrens functioning in middle childhood: (a) controlling and disorganized attachment behavior, (b) behavior problems in school, and (c) self-reported depressive symptoms. Maternal emotional availability in childhood was predicted by early mother-infant relationship dysfunction (maternal hostility, disrupted communication, and infant attachment insecurity).

Parsing the construct of maternal insensitivity: distinct longitudinal pathways associated with early maternal withdrawal.

The current paper expands on Ainsworth’s seminal construct of maternal sensitivity by exploring the developmental pathways associated with one particular form of insensitivity: maternal withdrawal. Drawing on longitudinal data from infancy to age 20 in a high-risk cohort, we highlight how maternal withdrawal over the first eight years of life is associated with child caregiving behavior and with maternal role confusion, as well as with features of borderline and antisocial personality disorders. We also present evidence for the specificity of this pathway in relation to other aspects of maternal insensitivity and other aspects of child adaptation. To illuminate these pathways we both review recent published work and report new findings on the middle childhood and adolescent components of these trajectories. Finally, we consider the implications for assessment of maternal behavior in high-risk samples and indicate directions for productive future work.

Psychometric properties of the functions and addictive features scales of the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory: a preliminary investigation using a university sample

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an issue primarily of concern in adolescents and young adults. Thus far, no single NSSI self-report measure offers a fully comprehensive assessment of NSSI, particularly including measurement of both its functions and potential addictive features. The Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI) permits simultaneous assessment of both these characteristics; the current study examined the psychometric properties of this measure in a sample of 149 young adults in a university student sample (82.6% girls, Mage = 19.43 years). Exploratory factor analyses revealed 4 functions factors (internal emotion regulation, social influence, external emotion regulation, and sensation seeking) and a single addictive features factor. Convergent evidence for the functions factor scores was demonstrated through significant correlations with an existing measure of NSSI functions and indicators of psychological well-being, risky behaviors, and context and frequency of NSSI behaviors. Convergent evidence was also shown for the addictive features scores, through associations with NSSI frequency, feeling relieved following NSSI, and inability to resist NSSI urges. Additional comment is made regarding the potential for addictive features of NSSI to be both negatively and positively reinforcing. Results show preliminary psychometric support for the OSI as a valid and reliable assessment tool to be used in both research and clinical contexts. The OSI can provide important information for case formulation and treatment planning, given the comprehensive and all-inclusive nature of its assessment capacities.

Behavioural precursors of attachment representations in middle childhood and links with child social adaptation

Concordance between age-6 attachment behaviour and age-8 doll play attachment representations during the school-age period, and associations between these measures and child social adaptation at school were examined. One hundred and twenty-nine 6-year-olds and their mothers participated in a separation/reunion protocol. Two years later, 104 children completed a doll play narrative task. Teachers evaluated child behaviour problems and prosocial behaviour at both ages. Results showed a significant four-way concordance between age-6 attachment behaviour and age-8 doll play classifications. Each of the four attachment classifications was concordant in the absence of major negative life-events, but only the disorganized classifications remained concordant when at least one negative life-event occurred between the two assessment times. Children with a disorganized attachment classification or representation had higher externalizing scores than secure and avoidant children at both timepoints. Finally, the avoidant and disorganized behavioural classifications predicted avoidant and disorganized representations, respectively, even when controlling for age-6 teacher reports of social adaptation.

ROLE CONFUSION AND DISORIENTATION IN YOUNG ADULT-PARENT INTERACTION AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH BORDERLINE SYMPTOMATOLOGY

Borderline symptoms are thought to emerge from the interaction of temperamental factors and environmental stressors. Both parental invalidation and attachment disorganization have been hypothesized to play an etiological role. However, to date the quality of parent-child interaction has not been observed directly. In this study, 120 young adults were assessed for features of borderline personality disorder on the SCID II, for severity of childhood maltreatment on interview and self-report measures, and for disturbance in parent-child interaction during a videotaped conflict discussion task. Borderline traits, as well as suicidality/self-injury specifically, were associated with more role confusion and more disoriented behavior in interaction with the parent. Among young adults with recurrent suicidality/self-injury, 40% displayed high levels of role confusion compared to 16% of those who were not suicidal. Neither form of disturbed interaction mediated the independent effect of childhood abuse on borderline symptoms. A parent-child transactional model is proposed to account for the findings.

Emotion dysregulation mediates the influence of relationship difficulties on non-suicidal self-injury behavior in young adults

This study examined associations between relationship difficulties with parents and peers and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Particular emphasis was placed on examining mediating pathways through emotion dysregulation, as per commonly accepted theory. Participants were 1153 university students (905 females; Mage=19.35 years, S.D.=1.49); 79 of these participants had engaged in NSSI during the previous 6 months (63 females, Mage=19.35 years, S.D.=1.51). Participants completed questionnaires assessing NSSI, quality of relationships with parents and peers, and emotion dysregulation. Hierarchical logistic regressions suggest that the quality of parent-child relationships has a greater impact on the prediction of NSSI engagement than the quality of peer relationships. Results of a structural equation model showed that feelings of alienation in both parent and peer relationships had indirect effects on NSSI through deficits in emotion regulation (ER). Results suggest the importance of examining emotion dysregulation in association with NSSI, and that both parent and peer relationships are implicated in NSSI engagement through emotion regulation deficits. Important clinical implications regarding the need to acknowledge both emotion dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties when treating NSSI in young adults are discussed.

Making children laugh: parent-child dyadic synchrony and preschool attachment.

The current study examined whether dyadic synchrony of father-child and mother-child interactions in a playful context were associated with attachment organization in preschool children. One hundred seven children (48 boys, Mage = 46.67 months, SD = 8.57) and their mothers and fathers (counterbalanced order of lab visits) participated in a playful interaction without toys (Laughing Task procedure). Playful interactions were coded based on the degree to which the dyads demonstrated a variety of behavior representing dyadic synchrony and task management. Childrens attachment behavior toward fathers and mothers was observed in a modified separation-reunion procedure adapted for the preschool period. Results demonstrate that mothers and fathers are similar in their effort to arouse and engage their child in a playful context, but mothers achieved a greater synchrony with their child. Disorganized attachment to either mother or father is linked with a lack of synchrony in dyadic interaction. Findings are in contrast with prevailing theory, suggesting that despite gender-related differences in parental playful behaviors, dyadic synchrony is equally important in both mother- and father-child relationships for the development of organized social and affectional bonds.

Preoccupied but not dismissing attachment states of mind are associated with nonsuicidal self-injury

In this investigation the factor structure of the Adult Attachment Interview was studied in a partially at-risk sample of 120 young adults. More specifically, 60 participants had engaged in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI; 53 females, M age = 20.38 years), and 60 were non-self-injuring controls matched by age and sex. Theoretically anticipated differential associations between preoccupied (but not dismissing) states of mind and NSSI were then examined. Exploratory factor analyses identified evidence for two weakly correlated state of mind dimensions (i.e., dismissing and preoccupied) consistently identified in factor analyses of normative-risk samples. As hypothesized, results further showed that preoccupied (but not dismissing) states of mind were associated with NSSI behavior. Findings support existing arguments suggesting that the regulatory strategy adults adopt when discussing attachment-related experiences with primary caregivers, particularly passive, angry, or unresolved discourse patterns, is uniquely correlated with NSSI.

Preschool ambivalent attachment associated with a lack of vagal withdrawal in response to stress

The goal of the present study was to examine how quality of the child–caregiver attachment relationship related to children’s cardiac vagal reactivity in response to a novel social stressor. Children’s (N = 48; Mage = 3 years 9 months) cardiac data were collected as they participated in an ambiguous and potentially threatening social situation together with their mothers. Their degree of behavioral inhibition also was observed. Attachment classifications were assessed separately. Children classified as Secure showed vagal withdrawal from baseline to the stressor, whereas children classified as Ambivalent did not show vagal withdrawal in response to the stressor. There was a marginally significant moderation of attachment-related differences in vagal withdrawal by level of behavioral inhibition. Among highly behaviorally inhibited children, those classified as Ambivalent demonstrated little or no vagal withdrawal compared to their Secure counterparts. In contrast, no attachment-related differences were found among those who appeared less behaviorally inhibited. Findings are discussed in relation to children’s emerging self-regulation skills in the context of their attachment relationship.