3-234 - Attachment and Psychopathology across the Life Span: Key Findings, Issues, and Future Directions

Session Type: Exchange Symposium

Integrative Statement

In nearly five decades of research, a substantial literature has linked attachment patterns to psychopathology across the life span. However, methodological and conceptual issues pose significant challenges to summarizing this literature. The complexity of these challenges is increased when a lifespan approach is considered. By synthesizing and integrating findings across childhood and adulthood, this symposium aims to (1) identify points of convergence and divergence regarding the significance of attachment for psychopathology across the lifespan and (2) offer critical next steps for future research.
Paper 1 reports meta-analytic evidence for the significance of early insecurity and disorganization for children’s externalizing and internalizing symptomatology. It explores potential reasons for the partial, yet not full support regarding the differential significance of insecurity subtypes for different symptoms. Paper 2 reports findings from a meta-analysis in adulthood; it highlights a paradox, where depressive symptoms are linked to one pattern of insecurity in childhood and another in adulthood. Paper 3 draws attention to the differentiation between state versus trait attachment insecurity; it presents novel findings showing that state-attachment variation is uniquely linked to children’s psychological problems.
Findings across papers highlight the complexity of understanding links between specific patterns of attachment and symptoms of psychopathology across the lifespan. Panel members will lead a discussion eliciting audience input focused on identifying potential reasons for divergent findings across developmental periods and offer suggestions for how future research might address these issues to enhance understanding of the role of attachment in the development of psychopathology.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Psychopathology

Chair

• Or Dagan, Stony Brook University

Discussant

• Roger Kobak, University of Delaware

Individual Presentations

• The Significance of Early Insecurity and Disorganization for Psychopathology - Presenting Author: Ashley Groh, University of Missouri

• Insecure Attachment and Depression Across the Life Span: The Paradox of Early Versus Late Development - Presenting Author: Or Dagan, Stony Brook University; Non-Presenting Author: Kristin Bernard, Stony Brook University

• State-Attachment Variations Across Stressful Situations are Linked to Psychological Problems Above and Beyond Trait-Attachment - Presenting Author: Guy Bosmans, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; Non-Presenting Author: Martine Verhees, KU Leuven; Non-Presenting Author: Eva Ceulemans, KU Leuven