TY - JOUR
T1 - Age and sex differences in the influence of attachment relationships on adolescent psychological health
AU - Wilkinson, Ross B.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The quality of adolescent attachment with mothers, fathers, and peers, and the impact of these relationships on psychological health and self-esteem is examined in a sample of 615 high school students. Using an attachment theory perspective, it is argued that different attachment relationships have different affects on adjustment depending on age and gender. Results support the view that attachment develops in peer relationships before withdrawing from parental relationships in adolescence and that this process occurs at different ages and has different consequences for self-esteem and depression. Mother attachment had a greater impact on psychological adjustment for girls while father attachment had a greater impact for boys. It is concluded that while an attachment framework is useful for understanding developmental changes in relationship networks during adolescence, further individual difference and developmental factors may need to be considered.
AB - The quality of adolescent attachment with mothers, fathers, and peers, and the impact of these relationships on psychological health and self-esteem is examined in a sample of 615 high school students. Using an attachment theory perspective, it is argued that different attachment relationships have different affects on adjustment depending on age and gender. Results support the view that attachment develops in peer relationships before withdrawing from parental relationships in adolescence and that this process occurs at different ages and has different consequences for self-esteem and depression. Mother attachment had a greater impact on psychological adjustment for girls while father attachment had a greater impact for boys. It is concluded that while an attachment framework is useful for understanding developmental changes in relationship networks during adolescence, further individual difference and developmental factors may need to be considered.
KW - Adolescent attachment
KW - Psychosocial health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350152523&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S081651220002900X
DO - 10.1017/S081651220002900X
M3 - Article
SN - 0816-5122
VL - 23
SP - 87
EP - 104
JO - Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist
JF - Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist
IS - 2
ER -