Adolescent attachment state-of-mind and parent-adolescent relationship quality: Joint longitudinal predictors of social and emotional functioning Kathleen Boykin McElhaney & Joseph P. Allen University of Virginia Jill Antonishak, PhD. Glenda Insabella, Ph.D. Debbie Land, Ph.D. Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D. Mindy Schmidt, Ph.D. Collaborators: Joanna Chango Megan Schad Claire Stephenson Jennifer Haynes Katie Little Penny Marsh Nell Manning F. Christy McFarland Jessica Meyer Wrenn Thompson Farah Williams Copies of this and related papers are available at:

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence?

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence? Step Back: Developmental Issues during Adolescence

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence? Step Back: Developmental Issues during Adolescence –Cognitive development

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence? Step Back: Developmental Issues during Adolescence –Cognitive development→ Increased perspective taking with regard to attachment relationships

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence? Step Back: Developmental Issues during Adolescence –Quality of ongoing relationships with parents

Emotional Security within the Family Context What might this look like during adolescence? Step Back: Developmental Issues during Adolescence –Quality of ongoing relationships with parents→ low conflict + high warmth = emotional security

What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security? –Views of attachment relationships –Quality of parent-teen relationships Emotional Security within the Family Context

What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security? –Views of attachment relationships –Quality of parent-teen relationship Long-Term Outcomes: Social, emotional and behavioral adjustment Emotional Security within the Family Context

Sample 184 Adolescents and their Parents Equal numbers of Males and Females Assessed Annually (Age 13 to Age 19) Highly Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= $40- $60K) 31% African American; 69% European American

Measures: Emotional Security Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (George, Kaplan & Main, 1996) –Administered when adolescents were approximately 14 years old (T2) –1-hour semi-structured interview –Reliably coded using Kobak et al., (1993) Q-sort technique

Measures: Emotional Security Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (George, Kaplan & Main, 1996) –Yields Two Scales: Attachment Security Preoccupation with Attachment

Measures: Emotional Security Attachment Security –Reflects coherence in discourse about episodic and semantic memories of attachment experiences. –Openness to remembering and discussing affectively charged attachment experiences –Balance in considering positive and negative aspects of attachment relationships

Measures: Emotional Security Preoccupation with Attachment –Unfocused, rambling discourse –Overly involved and angry when discussing affectively charged attachment experiences –Very little ability to step back and objectively evaluate attachment relationships

Measures: Emotional Security Quality of Parent-Teen Relationships –Focus on mother-teen relationship

Measures: Emotional Security Quality of Parent-Teen Relationships –Focus on mother-teen relationship –Mothers’ reports when adolescents were approximately 16 years old (T4)

Measures: Emotional Security Quality of Parent-Teen Relationships→ focus on mother-teen relationship –Mother-Adolescent Conflict: Parent Child Conflict Questionnaire –Mother-Adolescent Affection: Expression of Affection

Measures: Adolescent Social, Emotional & Behavioral Functioning Adolescents’ Self-Reports

Measures: Adolescent Social, Emotional & Behavioral Functioning Adolescents’ Self-Reports –Gathered at T6 (adolescents years old)

Measures: Adolescent Social, Emotional & Behavioral Functioning Social Functioning –Attachment to Friends (Inventory of Parent & Peer Attachment) Emotional Functioning –Depressive Symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) Behavioral Functioning –Aggressive Behavior (Adult Self-Report)

Research Questions What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security to long-term outcomes for teens? –Adolescents’ Attachment Organization (level of security & preoccupation at age 14) –Motter-Reported Quality of Mother- Adolescent Relationship (conflict & warmth at age 16)

Data Analysis Conducted series of hierarchical regressions All models account for gender & family income Predictors: –AAI Security & Preoccupation (T2, age 14) –MR Level of Conflict & Affection (T4, age 16) Long-Term Outcomes (T6,Age 18): –SR Attachment to Friends –SR Depressive Symptoms –SR Aggressive Behavior

Emotional Security and Social Functioning Self-Reported Attachment to Friends (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14).27* * *.13* Teens who are secure at age 14 report having better relationships with their friends in late adolescence (age 18).

Emotional Security and Social Functioning Self-Reported Attachment to Friends (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14).27* * *.13* Mother-Adol Conflict (Age 16) Maternal Exp of Affection (Age 16) -.19*.24** -.19*.24**.08**.21*** Teens who are secure at age 14, AND those who have less conflictual and more affectionate relationships with their mother at age 16, report having better relationships with their friends in late adolescence (age 18).

Emotional Security and Emotional Functioning Self-Reported Depression (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14).11.33**.12.34**.07*.09* Teens who are more preoccupied at age 14 report feeling more depressed during late adolescence (age 18).

Emotional Security and Emotional Functioning Self-Reported Depression (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14).11.33**.12.34**.07*.09* Mother-Adol Conflict (Age 16) Maternal Exp of Affection (Age 16) * Quality of emotional security in relationships with mothers at age 16 does not contribute to the prediction of the level of depressive symptoms at age 18, over and above preoccupation.

Emotional Security and Behavioral Functioning Self-Reported Aggression (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14) ** **.12*.13* Teens who are more preoccupied at age 14 report engaging in more aggressive behavior at age 18.

Emotional Security and Behavioral Functioning Self-Reported Aggression (Age 18)  Entry  Final  R 2 Total R 2 Security (Age 14) Preoccupation (Age 14) ** **.12*.13* Mother-Adol Conflict (Age 16) Maternal Exp of Affection (Age 16) * *.03.16* Teens who are more preoccupied at age 14, AND those who have more distant (less affectionate) relationships with their mothers at age 16 report engaging in more aggressive behavior at age 18.

Research Questions What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security? –Adolescents’ Attachment Organization (level of security & preoccupation at age 14) –Self-Reported Quality of Mother- Adolescent Relationship (conflict & warmth at age 16)

Research Questions What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security? Being able to objectively evaluate attachment relationships (age 14) AND experiencing ongoing emotional security in relationships with mothers (age 16) are both important for adolescents’ own views of relationships with friends (age 18).

Research Questions What are relative contributions of these two indexes of emotional security? Lacking perspective on attachment relationships (age 14) does not predict how teens view relationships later on, but does predict higher levels of psychopathology, in terms of both depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior (age 18).

Research Questions Security and quality of relationship with moms matter most for adolescents’ own views of relationships → can they trust their friends?

Research Questions Security and quality of relationship with moms matter most for adolescents’ own views of relationships → can they trust their friends? Preoccupied attachment matters most for feeling badly about one’s self, and actual interactions with others → how they act with friends.

Overall Conclusions Emotional security remains as important during adolescence as it is during childhood

Overall Conclusions Emotional security remains as important during adolescence as it is during childhood Both attachment organization and ongoing quality of relationships with parents represent important indices of emotional security.