Introduction. According to attachment theory early experiences with caregivers are internalized into representations of the Self and the Other known as Internal Working Models which influence development and building of further relationships. Kaplan and Main (1986) pioneered in this field proposing that children’s family drawings could be an important way to capture attachment representations, articulating how the four different attachment categories could be reflected in them. Therefore, according to past researches (Fury, Carlson, Sroufe, 1997; Madigan, Ladd, Godberg, 2003; Fhirer, McMahon, 2009; Behrens, Kaplan 2011) some markers of children’s drawings distinguish children with varying attachment histories in infancy and further correlations with the quality of home environment have been found (Carlson, Sroufe, Egeland, 2004). The last aspect is particularly important for adoptive children coming into a new family because they have often different familiar background (institutionalization, neglect, abuse) and an insecure/disorganized attachment models. Narrative story stems, as the MCAST, are also useful measures to assess attachment representations. Therefore the aim is to explore children IWM of attachment based on previous experiences and how they perceive, under their influence, current familiar environment. Method. Sample: 22 late adopted children, 13 girls and 9 boys, 3 from domestic adoption and 19 from international adoption. The control group is composed of 12 blood-related children, balanced for sex. All children were 4-8 years-old at the time of collect data (mean = 78 months, S.D. = 14 months). At the time all late-placed children have been adopted by their adoptive families for 7-8 months. Measures. Family Drawings- and adapted version of Kaplan and Main (1986) coding system has been used. Manchester Child Attachment Story Task-(Goldwyn et al., 2000; Green et al., 2000) is adoll play completion method to elicit children’s narrative responses to four attachment related themes. Results. Data analysis highlight that general coherence of narrative is inversely correlated with markers of insecurity (rs - .313, p > .05), with the avoidance (rs - .313, p > .05 and) with disorganization markers (rs - .451, p > .01) in Family Drawings. Mentalizing, instead, is inversely correlated (rs - .409, p > .05) with disorganization and less with insecurity markers (rs - .322, p > .05) in Family Drawings. Discussion. e present study seems to suggest that coherence and mentalizing related to the representations of early attachment experiences are linked to markers of insecurity and disorganization of family in school aged children. In conclusion both the assessment of attachment representations and family drawings seem to be useful measures to tap into children’s representation of their adoptive family and to explore their IWM in the attempt to open a window into their inner life.

A window into the representations of late adopted children by Family Drawings and attachment narratives.

PACE, CECILIA SERENA;
2012-01-01

Abstract

Introduction. According to attachment theory early experiences with caregivers are internalized into representations of the Self and the Other known as Internal Working Models which influence development and building of further relationships. Kaplan and Main (1986) pioneered in this field proposing that children’s family drawings could be an important way to capture attachment representations, articulating how the four different attachment categories could be reflected in them. Therefore, according to past researches (Fury, Carlson, Sroufe, 1997; Madigan, Ladd, Godberg, 2003; Fhirer, McMahon, 2009; Behrens, Kaplan 2011) some markers of children’s drawings distinguish children with varying attachment histories in infancy and further correlations with the quality of home environment have been found (Carlson, Sroufe, Egeland, 2004). The last aspect is particularly important for adoptive children coming into a new family because they have often different familiar background (institutionalization, neglect, abuse) and an insecure/disorganized attachment models. Narrative story stems, as the MCAST, are also useful measures to assess attachment representations. Therefore the aim is to explore children IWM of attachment based on previous experiences and how they perceive, under their influence, current familiar environment. Method. Sample: 22 late adopted children, 13 girls and 9 boys, 3 from domestic adoption and 19 from international adoption. The control group is composed of 12 blood-related children, balanced for sex. All children were 4-8 years-old at the time of collect data (mean = 78 months, S.D. = 14 months). At the time all late-placed children have been adopted by their adoptive families for 7-8 months. Measures. Family Drawings- and adapted version of Kaplan and Main (1986) coding system has been used. Manchester Child Attachment Story Task-(Goldwyn et al., 2000; Green et al., 2000) is adoll play completion method to elicit children’s narrative responses to four attachment related themes. Results. Data analysis highlight that general coherence of narrative is inversely correlated with markers of insecurity (rs - .313, p > .05), with the avoidance (rs - .313, p > .05 and) with disorganization markers (rs - .451, p > .01) in Family Drawings. Mentalizing, instead, is inversely correlated (rs - .409, p > .05) with disorganization and less with insecurity markers (rs - .322, p > .05) in Family Drawings. Discussion. e present study seems to suggest that coherence and mentalizing related to the representations of early attachment experiences are linked to markers of insecurity and disorganization of family in school aged children. In conclusion both the assessment of attachment representations and family drawings seem to be useful measures to tap into children’s representation of their adoptive family and to explore their IWM in the attempt to open a window into their inner life.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11567/630980
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact