The Convergent Validity of ASA Insecurity Scales with AAI Patterns of Insecurity

• In Event: Assessing Patterns of Insecurity in the Attachment Script Assessment: Evidence for Convergent and Predictive Validity

Abstract

The Attachment Script Assessment (ASA; Waters & Rodrigues-Doolabh, 2004) is a measure of adult attachment representations in which adults develop narratives using provided words. Attachment-relevant narratives produced within the ASA are coded for secure base script knowledge (SBSK)—an understanding that when problems arise, attachment partners may be relied upon to provide assistance that is effective in overcoming the problem. SBSK is associated with coherence in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI; George, , 1984-1996), providing evidence for the convergent validity of ASA SBSK. However, unlike the AAI, the ASA does not assess individual differences in patterns of insecurity, representing a significant limitation of this measure undermining its use in research and practice. We developed new scales to assess patterns of insecurity in the ASA, including: (1) deactivation—the extent to which attachment-relevant themes are disregarded, minimized, or derogated, theoretically aligning with AAI dismissing states of mind; (2) hyperactivation—the extent to which negative emotion is heightened within the context of attachment-relevant narratives, paralleling AAI preoccupied states of mind; and (3) anomalous themes—the extent to which bizarre themes emerge in attachment-relevant narratives, theoretically aligning with AAI unresolved loss/trauma. Although our novel ASA scales conceptually converge with patterns of insecurity in the AAI, whether these scales empirically converge with individual differences in AAI insecurity remains unknown. Additionally, AAI dismissing and preoccupied states of mind have been linked with physiological responding reflective of emotional dysregulation when confronted with an attachment-relevant challenge (Dozier & Kobak, 1992; Roisman et al., 2004). Thus, in addition to examining links between AAI patterns of insecurity and ASA insecurity scales, we examined links between the ASA insecurity scales and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) withdrawal—reflective of emotional regulation (Porges, 2007)—when discussing attachment experiences with caregivers in childhood during the AAI.

Sixty (50% female) young adults completed the AAI and ASA. The AAI was coded using the Main and Goldwyn (1998) scales for dismissing, preoccupied, and unresolved states of mind; and using the dismissing and preoccupied scales of the Kobak (1993) Q-sort system. The ASA was coded for SBSK, deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous themes. Participants’ RSA was continuously measured at rest and during the AAI.

As seen in Table 1, findings demonstrate the empirical convergence of (1) AAI dismissing states of mind with ASA deactivation, (2) AAI preoccupied states of mind with ASA hyperactivation, and (3) AAI unresolved loss/trauma with ASA anomalous themes. Further, paralleling evidence that unresolved and preoccupied states of mind load on the same factor (Haltigan et al., 2014), AAI preoccupation was significantly associated with ASA anomalous themes. Additionally, higher levels of ASA hyperactivation and anomalous themes were associated with less RSA withdrawal (i.e., poorer emotion regulation) during AAI questions designed to activate the attachment system (see Table 2), in line with expectations that a maximizing pattern of attachment insecurity is related to emotional dysregulation within attachment-relevant challenges. This study represents an important first step toward validating newly-developed ASA insecurity scales, ultimately providing researchers and clinicians with a more accessible measure of adult attachment.

Authors

• Paul Caldo, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Presenting Author

• Ashley M. Groh, University of Missouri - Columbia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katherine C Haydon, Mount Holyoke College
  Non-Presenting Author