title: Attachment security in infants at-risk for autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Little is known about attachment security and disorganization in children who are at genetic risk for an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prior to a possible diagnosis. The present study examined distributions of attachment security and disorganization at 15-months of age in a sample of infant siblings of older children with (ASD-sibs; n = 51) or without (COMP-sibs; n = 34) an ASD. ASD-sibs were not more or less likely to evince attachment insecurity or disorganization than COMP-sibs. However, relative to COMP-sibs, the rate of B1-B2 secure subclassifications was disproportionately larger in the ASD-sib group. Results suggest that ASD-sibs are not less likely to form secure affectional bonds with their caregivers than COMP-sibs, but may differ from COMP-sibs in their expression of attachment security.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. jhaltiga@illinois.edu
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Haltigan
authors.forename: Naomi V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Ekas
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seifer
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Messinger
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D035781:Siblings