Most attachment research is focused on the influence of attachment on different developmental outcomes of the individual. This present study focused on the influence of different characteristics of...Show moreMost attachment research is focused on the influence of attachment on different developmental outcomes of the individual. This present study focused on the influence of different characteristics of the individual on the attachment representation. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the combination between anxiety and depression on the attachment representation of adopted young adults at 14 and 23 years of age. Additionally, the influence of socioeconomic status of the adoptive parents and the family composition on the adoptees´ attachment representation have been examined. In this study, 84 international adopted young adults participated in the Secure Base Script method to measure their attachment representation. The degree of anxiety and depression of the adoptees when was measured at age 14 with a subscale of the Youth Self Report and at age 23 with a subscale of the Adult Self Report. Results showed no significant differences between the attachment representation of young adoptees from a mixed family and non-mixed family. There was also no significant difference in the attachment representations between adoptees whose parents were from low, middleclass or high socioeconomic status. Regarding the anxiety and depression, there was no influence of both these measures at age 14 and 23 on the attachment represenations of adopted young adults. It can be concluded that socioeconomic status, family composition, and anxiety and depression do not play a role in the prediction of attachment representation of adoptees in young adults. Future research should indicate whether these findings can be replicated and, if so, whether these non-significant findings are age-specific.Show less
