Attachment, Intelligence, and Language: A Meta‐analysis†
Open accessAbstract
In attachment theory, several hypotheses about the association between attachment and cognitive development have been generated. In a series of meta‐analyses on 32 studies, we tested whether the quality of attachment is related to intelligence (DQ or IQ) and to language competence. Attachment showed a weak association with DQ and IQ measures (combined r = .09; N = 1026). The combined effect size for the relation between attachment and language competence was r = .28 (N = 303). We conclude, first, that differences in intelligence do not play a major role in shaping attachment relationships. Differences in quality of attachment are not confounded in any significant way with differences in intelligence. Second, secure children appeared to be more competent in the language domain than insecure children. Language development appears to be stimulated in the context of a secure attachment relationship because secure parents may be better ‘teachers’ and secure children may be better motivated ‘students’.
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Attachment style influences affective, cognitive, and linguistic functions.
“Attachment style not only constitutes a model of relationships with others, but also influences affective, cognitive, and linguistic functions (Grossmann, 1999;van IJzendoorn et al., 1995).”
From The Role of Personality in Language Learning (2026) · cites this paper as van IJzendoorn et al., 1995
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The Role of Personality in Language Learning
Mrzyglod, E., Esposito, A., Fabbro, A., Fabbro, F., Crescentini, C., & Matiz, A. (2026) · Psychology of Language and Communication · doi:10.58734/plc-2026-0004
- Authors
- van IJzendoorn, M. H., Dijkstra, J., & Bus, A. G.
- Affiliations
- Leiden University (NL)
- ORCID
- Bus, Adriana G.
- Venue
- Social Development
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1995-07
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 115-128
- ISSN
- 0961-205X (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9507
- OpenAlex
- W2009884304
- Cited by
- 291
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 8.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Social Development (publishedVersion)
- Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- 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 › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- attachment, attachment theory, intelligence, language competence, cognitive development, secure attachment, insecure attachment, language development, parent-child relationship, attachment quality
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