Cited by 495Attachment and Relationship DynamicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

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The significance of attachment security for children’s social competence with peers: a meta-analytic study

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Groh, Ashley M., Fearon, R. Pasco, Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J., van IJzendoorn, Marinus H., Steele, Ryan D., Roisman, Glenn I.·2014·Attachment & Human Development

DOI 10.1080/14616734.2014.883636PMC PMC4021853

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Abstract

This meta-analytic review examines the association between attachment during the early life course and social competence with peers during childhood, and compares the strength of this association with those for externalizing and internalizing symptomatology. Based on 80 independent samples (N = 4441), the association between security and peer competence was significant (d = 0.39, CI 0.32; 0.47) and not moderated by the age at which peer competence was assessed. Avoidance (d = 0.17, CI 0.05; 0.30), resistance (d = 0.29, CI 0.09; 0.48), and disorganization (d = 0.25, CI 0.10; 0.40) were significantly associated with lower peer competence. Attachment security was significantly more strongly associated with peer competence than internalizing (but not externalizing) symptomatology. Discussion focuses on the significance of early attachment for the development of peer competence versus externalizing and internalizing psychopathology.

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Authors: Groh, A. M., Fearon, R. P., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Steele, R. D., & Roisman, G. I.
Affiliations: ,
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
University of Minnesota (US)
Corresponding author: Groh, Ashley M.
ORCID: Groh, Ashley M.
Roisman, Glenn I.
Venue: Attachment & Human Development
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2014-02-18
Volume: 16
Issue: 2
Pages: 103-136
ISSN: 1461-6734 (ISSN-L)
1469-2988
DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2014.883636
PMC: PMC4021853
OpenAlex: W1980337381
Cited by: 495
References: 131
Citations by year: 2026: 30 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 71 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 8
FWCI: 48.06
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Locations: Attachment & Human Development (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
UNC Libraries
Funders: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (T32-HD07376)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (T32HD007376)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords: attachment security, peer social competence, attachment avoidance, disorganized attachment, externalizing problems, internalizing problems, early attachment, child psychopathology
MeSH terms: Anomie, Child, Child, Preschool, Father-Child Relations, Female, Humans, Infant, Internal-External Control, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Object Attachment, Peer Group, Personality Disorders, Social Adjustment, Reactive Attachment Disorder

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The significance of attachment security for children’s social competence with peers: a meta-analytic study

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