Poster #89 - From Early Attachment to Adolescent Romantic Relationships: The Roles of Social Information Processing and Friendship

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Central to attachment theory is the notion that early relationships with caregivers guide thoughts and behaviors in future close relationships. More specifically, attachment theory poses that insecure attachment to caregivers puts individuals at risk for poor quality relationships throughout life (Bowlby, 1969/82). Although this claim is central, limited evidence exists for this direct link, and questions of why a link exists remain open.

STUDY AIMS: The present study aimed to answer this question by testing two possible pathways through which early attachment might relate to romantic relationship quality:1) a pathway wherein negative attribution biases mediate the link, and 2) a pathway wherein negative attributions and friendship quality sequentially mediate the link.

METHOD: The sample included participants enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s (NICHD) longitudinal Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development (SECCYD) who were in romantic relationships in early adolescence (N = 347). Across 15 years, participants completed three assessments of attachment to mothers (Strange Situation Procedure; Ainsworth et al., 1978; Attachment Q-Set; Waters & Deane, 1985; MacArthur system; Cassidy & Marvin, 1992), negative attribution biases about peers (Negative Attribution Bias Questionnaire; Dodge et al., 1986; Assessment of Intent Attributions; Crick, 1995) friendship quality (Quality of Classroom Friends scale, Clark & Ladd, 2000; Friendship Quality Questionnaire, FQQ; Parker & Asher, 1993; friendship interaction task, Allhusen et al., 2003), and romantic relationship quality (Network of Relationships Inventory, NRI; Furman & Buhrmester, 1985).

RESULTS: Neither pathway explained indirect links between children’s attachment to mothers and their romantic relationship quality in young adolescence. Further, no direct links between early attachment and romantic relationship quality emerged. Early attachment, however, was predictive of children’s negative attribution biases, and friendship quality was predictive of romantic relationship quality.

DISCUSSION: Although no indirect links between early attachment with caregivers and romantic relationship quality emerged through attributions or friendship quality, direct links between friendship quality and subsequent romantic relationship quality emerged. These findings highlight the importance of experiences with peers in laying the foundation for experiences with romantic partners. Such findings also underscore the importance of continuing to critically evaluate the claim that early attachment experiences have lasting impacts on close relationships throughout the lifespan.

Authors

• Megan Haley Fitter, University of Maryland - College Park

• Sayaka Awao, University of Maryland - College Park
  Presenting Author

• Shira Godin

• Ha Kim

• Jude A. Cassidy, University of Maryland - College Park