Early childhood attachment and its impact on later life resilience: a comparison of resilient and non-resilient female siblings.
Prior research has repeatedly identified early childhood attachment as a primary protective factor. In this study the authors sought to assess if there were significant differences in the attachment levels of resilient females in comparison to their non-resilient female siblings. The authors examine, using standardized attachment scales, the levels of attachment through the use of an intra-family research design. The study consists of a comparative analysis of female inmates from five Midwestern state correctional departments to their resilient female siblings' attachments, in correlation with their subsequent use of alcohol and/or drugs and the completion of high school. This is a replication of Stacy's (2004, 2006) research of the attachment levels of male resilient individuals in comparison to their non-resilient siblings. The conclusions may be utilized by practitioners identifying appropriate interventions for female youth at risk of becoming non-resilient.
a Department of Social Work , Minnesota State University , Mankato , Minnesota , USA.
Christine
C
Black-Hughes
Peter D
PD
Stacy
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult