Nicola Carone, Anna Maria Speranza, Vittorio Lingiardi
{"title":"Attachment in diverse family forms: reframing the caregiving system for the twenty-first century.","authors":"Nicola Carone, Anna Maria Speranza, Vittorio Lingiardi","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2684255","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2684255","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"335-343"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148197304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicola Carone, Laura E Brumariu, Anna Maria Speranza, Vittorio Lingiardi
{"title":"Attachment in lesbian and gay parent families: a systematic review, theoretical advancements, and a 10-year research agenda.","authors":"Nicola Carone, Laura E Brumariu, Anna Maria Speranza, Vittorio Lingiardi","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2678803","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2678803","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Attachment theory was built on heterosexual, biologically related mother-infant dyads, leaving caregiving in sexual minority parent families peripheral to the field. This PRISMA 2020 systematic review synthesized empirical work applying attachment measures to lesbian mother and gay father families. Searches of PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to 28 February 2026 yielded 15 reports (8 cross-sectional, 6 longitudinal, 1 case study; from 12 studies) sampling families formed via donor insemination, gestational surrogacy, and adoption. Across measures, designs, and developmental periods, children of lesbian and gay parents did not differ from peers in attachment security or classification distributions; in adoptive gay father families, security exceeded comparison samples. Intergenerational transmission from parental coherence of mind to sensitive caregiving and child security operated as expected, regardless of within-couple biological relatedness. Caregiving role, reflective functioning, and minority stress were key moderators. This systematic review proposes five theoretical advancements and a 10-year research agenda.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"344-381"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148194310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A call to represent the current diversity of family forms in attachment research.","authors":"Audrey-Ann Deneault, Nicola Carone, Sheri Madigan","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2024.2441990","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2024.2441990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As family forms become increasingly diverse, their underrepresentation in attachment research is glaring. Although attachment theory aims to explain the influence of early relationships, studies have disproportionately focused on mothers. Even when other attachment figures are considered, the research is typically limited to fathers in biparental mother-father families. In this piece, we report on the wide variety of family configurations worldwide, and how children experience care from multiple attachment figures. Drawing from the <i>Child Attachment Studies Catalogue and Data Exchange</i> (CASCADE), we assess the current state of attachment research with regard to diverse family configurations. Out of the available records in CASCADE, only four of 2,320 studies (0.2% of available studies) involved samples of diverse families. We conclude by issuing an explicit call for research that acknowledges and explores diverse family forms and propose strategies to improve reporting and research practices to promote more inclusivity of diverse family forms.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"429-439"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142852364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
George M Tarabulsy, Carole-Anne Leblanc, Célia Matte-Gagné, Pablo Munoz-Specht, Gabrielle Frechette-Boilard, Fabienne Glowacz, Annie Bernier
{"title":"Are differences in early aggressive behavior mediated by attachment processes? The case of adolescent mother-infant dyads.","authors":"George M Tarabulsy, Carole-Anne Leblanc, Célia Matte-Gagné, Pablo Munoz-Specht, Gabrielle Frechette-Boilard, Fabienne Glowacz, Annie Bernier","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2703615","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2026.2703615","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the possibility that the association between young motherhood and child aggressive behavior is mediated by maternal sensitivity and attachment security. Adolescent (<i>n</i> = 83) and adult (<i>n</i> = 44) mother-infant dyads were met at home when infants were 6-, 10-, 15- and 18-months-old. Sensitivity (6 and 10 months) and attachment security (15 and 18 months) were assessed based on two sets of 120-minute home observations. Child aggressiveness was reported by mothers at 18 months. Young motherhood was linked to lower levels of sensitivity and attachment security, and greater levels of aggressive behaviors. Sequential mediation analysis revealed mediation by attachment processes, after controlling for infant irritability (6- and 10-months). Discussion focuses on the way results support important postulates of attachment theory and argue in favor of attachment-based intervention and other strategies that addresses other challenges faced by young mothers.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148519810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jacob Dominic Wilson, Michael Yap Yee, Jean-François Bureau
{"title":"A shoulder to cry on: preschoolers' crying, temperament, and attachment security.","authors":"Jacob Dominic Wilson, Michael Yap Yee, Jean-François Bureau","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2660100","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2660100","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Whereas attachment scholars argue that variations in crying in the SSP reflect the quality of child-parent relationships, temperament scholars contend that they primarily reflect temperamental traits. Few studies have examined this debate in preschoolers, who may display distinct crying responses. This paper explores whether preschoolers' crying behaviors reflect their attachment relationships or their negative affectivity. Attachment dimensions and crying behaviors were assessed in 144 preschoolers who completed Preschool-SSPs during independent visits with their mothers and fathers. Parents completed the CBQ to measure child negative affectivity. Results showed that children high on insecure-ambivalence with one parent tended to cry more with that parent, while higher security was linked to less crying. Crying with one parent was modestly associated with crying with the other. Parent-reported negative affectivity did not predict crying or concordant attachment to both parents, suggesting that crying in the Preschool-SSP is mostly related to attachment relationships rather than temperament.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"229-250"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147697373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Maternal empathy and emotional availability: the moderating role of child negative affectivity.","authors":"Ayah Hijleh, Tamar Kadosh-Laor, Liat Israeli-Ran, Florina Uzefovsky","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2651088","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2651088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The current study investigated the moderating effect of children's negative affectivity on the relationship between maternal trait empathy and emotional availability. Participants included 125 mother-child dyads examined at two time points (T1: MeanAge = 13.65 ± 2.62 months; T2: MeanAge = 18.25 ± 2.66 months). Maternal empathy was assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathic concern, perspective-taking, and personal distress) at both times. The child's negative affectivity was measured at T1 via the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, and maternal emotional availability was observed at T2 using the Emotional Availability Scales. Results showed that maternal perspective-taking positively predicted later emotional availability only for children with high negative affectivity, whereas empathic concern positively predicted later emotional availability only for children with low negative affectivity. No significant links were found with personal distress. These findings highlight maternal empathy's context-dependent role in caregiving.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"251-274"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147589586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juyoung Kim, Lilly C Bendel-Stenzel, Grazyna Kochanska
{"title":"Examining self-regulation as a heterogeneous construct: A nuanced approach to understanding its relational antecedents.","authors":"Juyoung Kim, Lilly C Bendel-Stenzel, Grazyna Kochanska","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2655283","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2655283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Secure attachment to parents is known to promote children's self-regulation (SR), but the mechanisms explaining its associations with different aspects of SR, particularly in high-risk families, remain underexplored. We investigated maternal and child responsiveness as parallel mediators linking early attachment security to later SR, assessed within and outside mother-child relationships, with 186 low-income mother-child dyads. Attachment security was assessed using the Attachment Q-Set at 2.5 years, maternal and child responsiveness were observed during mother-child interactions at 3.5 years, and SR was measured at 7 years as mother-related (internalized compliance) and decontextualized (set-shifting tasks). Results demonstrated that both maternal and child responsiveness mediated the relations between attachment security and mother-related SR. Indirect relations were non-significant or weaker for decontextualized SR. Findings highlight the importance of mutually responsive interactions, with a particular focus on children's active contributions, in accounting for links between early parent-child relationships and later relational regulatory capacities.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"292-311"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147637836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natalia Jiménez-Luque, Iara Teixeira, Isabel Soares, Isabel Benavente-Fernández, Vanessa Moutinho, Carolina Toscano, Ana Mesquita, Carla Martins, Vera Mateus, Ana Osório, Joana Baptista
{"title":"Maternal sensitivity and effortful control in preschoolers born preterm: a prospective study.","authors":"Natalia Jiménez-Luque, Iara Teixeira, Isabel Soares, Isabel Benavente-Fernández, Vanessa Moutinho, Carolina Toscano, Ana Mesquita, Carla Martins, Vera Mateus, Ana Osório, Joana Baptista","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2653027","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2653027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study examined the associations between maternal sensitivity and effortful control (EC) at 42 months in children born preterm. Sixty-one mother-infant dyads from a longitudinal study participated. Maternal sensitivity was assessed during mother-child interactions at 12 and 42 months, while EC was measured at 42 months using a multitask behavioral battery. Generalized estimating equations modeled the relationships, controlling for gestational age, neonatal risk, and family socioeconomic disadvantage. Maternal sensitivity at 42 months was concurrently associated with higher EC. The longitudinal link between sensitivity at 12 months and EF was not significant. However, in mothers with high sensitivity at 12 months, sensitivity at 42 months was associated with EC, whereas no association was observed in the low-sensitivity subgroup. These findings suggest that the stability of maternal sensitivity from early infancy may influence the development of EC in preterm children, highlighting potential targets for future research and early interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"275-291"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nino Jorjadze, Julia Festini, Ina Bovenschen, Gottfried Spangler
{"title":"Attachment security in Georgian foster children: the role of parental sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior.","authors":"Nino Jorjadze, Julia Festini, Ina Bovenschen, Gottfried Spangler","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2655284","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2655284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The present study examines how children's behavioral problems and different dimensions of foster parents' sensitivity contribute to attachment security in foster children. The sample included 61 foster children, aged 33 to 90 months, and their foster mothers. Higher overall sensitivity, greater supportive presence, and lower hostility of foster mothers were associated with higher attachment security. Supportive presence emerged as a protective factor for attachment security in the context of externalizing behavioral problems. Cluster analysis identified three distinct parenting profiles. Children whose caregivers demonstrated high supportive presence, high respect for autonomy, and low hostility showed the highest attachment security. In contrast, parental hostility was consistently associated with lower security and emerged as a detrimental factor. The findings suggest that interventions for foster families should prioritize both enhancing parental sensitivity and reducing hostility. Moreover, foster parents of children with externalizing behavioral problems may require additional support and training.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"312-334"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147697377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lauren G Bailes, Mairin E Augustine, Savannah A Girod, Esther M Leerkes
{"title":"Predictors of stability and change of attachment avoidance and anxiety over the transition to parenthood.","authors":"Lauren G Bailes, Mairin E Augustine, Savannah A Girod, Esther M Leerkes","doi":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2637554","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14616734.2026.2637554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The transition to parenthood brings about changes in new parents' lives that may impact the attachment system. We examined how new mothers' internal, social and relational, and infant factors shaped initial levels and trajectories of attachment avoidance and anxiety from pregnancy through 2 years postpartum. Using a sample of 259 first-time mothers, we found that both attachment styles were relatively stable over time. Remembered supportive parenting experiences and relationship satisfaction were related to lower levels of initial attachment avoidance and anxiety, whereas depressive symptoms, were related to higher levels of initial avoidance and anxiety. Social support was related to a steeper decline in attachment avoidance over time. Observed infant distress and maternal-reported infant negative emotionality were related to a higher initial level of attachment avoidance, and infant distress was related to a steeper decline in attachment avoidance. Findings support need for multi-dimensional care of new mothers that begins during pregnancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":8632,"journal":{"name":"Attachment & Human Development","volume":" ","pages":"209-228"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147343575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}