Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence: A systematic review of measurement properties

TY - JOUR

T1 - Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence: A systematic review of measurement properties

AU - Jewell, Tom

AU - Gardner, Tessa

AU - Susi, Karima

AU - Watchorn, Kate

AU - Coopey, Emily

AU - Simic, Mima

AU - Fonagy, Peter

AU - Eisler, Ivan

PY - 2019/3/1

Y1 - 2019/3/1

N2 - Background: Attachment theory proposes that humans develop representations of self and other in early childhood which are relatively stable across the life-course, and play a key role in psychological adaptation. However, to date, the psychometric properties of attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence have not been evaluated in a systematic review.Method: A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42017057772) was conducted using COSMIN criteria. Two researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PsychINFO and Embase databases for relevant articles. Results: Fifty-four studies were included in the review. The methodological quality of studies was typically fair or poor, with only a smaller number of studies being rated as of good or excellent quality. The measurement properties of attachment measures in this age group were frequently rated as inadequate according to COSMIN criteria. The Child Attachment Interview (CAI) has the best psychometric properties of the interview and projective measures, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) the best evidence of the self-report measures. Overall, the evidence for the CAI and IPPA included both positive and negative findings relating to adequacy of measurement properties.Conclusions: Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence currently have limited evidence for the adequacy of their psychometric properties.

AB - Background: Attachment theory proposes that humans develop representations of self and other in early childhood which are relatively stable across the life-course, and play a key role in psychological adaptation. However, to date, the psychometric properties of attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence have not been evaluated in a systematic review.Method: A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42017057772) was conducted using COSMIN criteria. Two researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PsychINFO and Embase databases for relevant articles. Results: Fifty-four studies were included in the review. The methodological quality of studies was typically fair or poor, with only a smaller number of studies being rated as of good or excellent quality. The measurement properties of attachment measures in this age group were frequently rated as inadequate according to COSMIN criteria. The Child Attachment Interview (CAI) has the best psychometric properties of the interview and projective measures, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) the best evidence of the self-report measures. Overall, the evidence for the CAI and IPPA included both positive and negative findings relating to adequacy of measurement properties.Conclusions: Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence currently have limited evidence for the adequacy of their psychometric properties.

KW - Attachment

KW - Measurement

KW - Psychometrics

KW - Adolescence

KW - Validity

KW - Child Development

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060998632&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.12.004

DO - 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.12.004

M3 - Review article

SN - 0272-7358

VL - 68

SP - 71

EP - 82

JO - Clinical Psychology Review

JF - Clinical Psychology Review

ER -