ERIC Number: EJ1466330
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1476-718X
EISSN: EISSN-1741-2927
Available Date: 0000-00-00
A Preliminary Investigation of Parent-Child Attachment Relationship in Toddlers with Autism Traits
Sara Cibralic1; Jane Kohlhoff1,2; Susan Morgan2; Nancy Wallace2; Corey Lieneman3; Catherine McMahon4; Valsamma Eapen1,5
Journal of Early Childhood Research, v23 n1 p78-92 2025
Using a cross-sectional design, this study explored attachment insecurity and disorganization (assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure) in 90 toddlers (aged 14-24 months) with and without autism traits and assessed the associations between autism traits (severity and profiles) and both developmental level and attachment classification. Our findings showed no significant differences between the rates of attachment insecurity or attachment disorganisation among toddlers with, and toddlers without, autism traits. However, among the toddlers with autism traits, those with a disorganised attachment were more likely to have autism traits of greater severity. While greater autism trait severity was associated with attachment disorganisation, it remains unclear whether this association is the result of children with autism traits having higher rates of attachment disorganisation or whether autism traits are being misinterpreted as attachment disorganisation indices.
Descriptors: Parent Child Relationship, Attachment Behavior, Toddlers, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Severity (of Disability), Foreign Countries, Correlation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; Mullen Scales of Early Learning
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of New South Wales, Australia; 2Karitane, Australia; 3University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA; 4Macquarie University, Australia; 5Liverpool Hospital, Australia