Meta-analyses of the associations between disinhibited social engagement behaviors and child attachment insecurity or disorganization

Zephyr, L., Cyr, C., Monette, S., Archambault, M., Lehmann, S. and Minnis, H. (2021) Meta-analyses of the associations between disinhibited social engagement behaviors and child attachment insecurity or disorganization. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49(7), pp. 949-962. (doi: 10.1007/s10802-021-00777-1) (PMID:33616810)

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Abstract

Children with disinhibited social engagement disorder show reduced reticence with strangers, do not check back with their caregiver after venturing away, and may willingly leave with an unfamiliar adult. The recent DSM-5 has moved away from an attachment framework to understand disinhibited social engagement behavior (DSEB) due to studies indicating its presence in previously institutionalized children even after these children are adopted and show a selective, more secure attachment with their substitute caregiver (e.g. Chisholm et al., 1998). This meta-analysis aims to clarify the size of the associations between DSEB and attachment insecurity or disorganization. It also examines whether studies effect sizes differ according to various moderators (e.g., child age, type of attachment and DSEB measures). The results (k = 24) showed that the associations between DSEB and attachment insecurity (d = 0.48) or attachment disorganization (d = 0.47) were of small magnitude. There were no publication biases. As for moderator analyses on both attachment insecurity and disorganization, the effect sizes in studies using DSEB observational measures (respectively d = 0.63 and 0.57) were of moderate magnitude and stronger than those in studies not using an observational component (respectively d = 0.28 and 0.32). Given these small-to-moderate associations, attachment can be considered a relationship process associated with DSEB, and attachment-informed interventions could be potential tools to reduce DSEB in children. Nevertheless, given the sizable unshared portion of variance between DSEB and child attachment, future studies should examine other variables related to caregiving and noncaregiving contexts to further understand DSEB.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This study has obtained the financial support of a scholarship to the first author from the Fonds de recherche du Québec — Société et culture (FRQSC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Financial support was also provided to the second author by the Canada Research Chairs Program (SSHRC).
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Minnis, Professor Helen
Authors: Zephyr, L., Cyr, C., Monette, S., Archambault, M., Lehmann, S., and Minnis, H.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > General Practice and Primary Care
Journal Name:Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:2730-7166
ISSN (Online):2730-7174
Published Online:22 February 2021
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2021 The Authors, under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature
First Published:First published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology 49(7): 949-962
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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