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Cited by 212Attachment and Relationship DynamicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychosocial Factors Impacting Youth

Assessing Adolescents' Attachment Hierarchies: Differences Across Developmental Periods and Associations With Individual Adaptation: ADOLESCENT ATTACHMENT HIERACHIES

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Rosenthal, Natalie L., Kobak, Roger·2010·Journal of Research on Adolescence
DOI 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00655.xPMC PMC3336158
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Abstract

Adolescents' attachment hierarchies were assessed in a sample of 212 high school and 198 college students. The Important People Interview (IPI) differentiated attachment bonds from other supportive or affiliative relationships and indicated that adolescents show a hierarchical ordering of preferences for multiple attachment figures. Differences in the composition and structure of adolescents' attachment hierarchies were found between the early high school (9(th) and 10(th) grades), later high school (11(th) and 12(th) grades), and college samples. In the college sample, romantic partners were placed in higher positions in adolescents' hierarchies, fathers were placed in lower positions, and the structure of adolescents' hierarchies were less differentiated than in the high school samples. Individual differences in the composition of adolescents' hierarchies were associated with adjustment outcomes. Friends' placement in higher positions and fathers' exclusion from or placement in quaternary positions was associated with increased behavior problems. Findings demonstrate that the IPI provides a measure of adolescents' attachment hierarchies that is sensitive to developmental stage and individual differences.

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Authors
Rosenthal, N. L., & Kobak, R.
Affiliations
University of Delaware (US)
Corresponding author
Kobak, Roger
ORCID
Kobak, Roger
Venue
Journal of Research on Adolescence
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-08-16
Volume
20
Issue
3
Pages
678-706
ISSN
1050-8392 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00655.x
PMC
PMC3336158
OpenAlex
W1936091236
Cited by
212
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
FWCI
4.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm, 1842 d)
Locations
  • Journal of Research on Adolescence (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH059670)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychosocial Factors Impacting Youth
Keywords
adolescent attachment, developmental differences, high school students, university students, romantic partners, fathers, friends, behavioral problems, attachment bonds

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