Links between Adolescents' Closeness to Adoptive Parents and Attachment Style in Young Adulthood

• Author: Aline G. Sayer,Harold D. Grotevant,Holly A. Grant‐Marsney
• Date: 01 April 2015
• Published date: 01 April 2015
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12113

H A. G-M University of Massachusetts Amherst

H D. G University of Massachusetts Amherst∗

A G. S University of Massachusetts Amherst∗∗

Links between Adolescents’ Closeness to Adoptive

Parents and Attachment Style in Young Adulthood

This study examined whether adolescents’

closeness to adoptive parents (APs) predicted

attachment styles in close relationships out-

side their family during young adulthood.

In a longitudinal study of domestic infant

adoptions, closeness to adoptive mother and

adoptive father was assessed in 156 adoles-

cents (M=15.7 years). Approximately 9 years

later (M=25.0 years), closeness to parents was

assessed again as well as attachment style in

their close relationships. Multilevel modeling

was used to predict attachment style in young

adulthood from the average and discrepancy of

closeness to adolescents’ adoptive mothers and

fathers and the change over time in closeness

to APs. Less avoidant attachment style was

predicted by stronger closeness to both APs

during adolescence. Increased closeness to APs

over time was related to less anxiety in close

relationships. Higher closeness over time to

University of New Hampshire, Counseling Center, 3 Garri-

son Ave. Durham, NH 03824 (hgrant@psych.umass.edu).

∗Rudd Family Foundation Chair in Psychology, Depart-

ment of Psychological & Brain Science, University of Mas-

sachusetts Amherst, 135 Hicks Way,Amherst, MA 01003.

∗∗Methodology Program Director, Center for Research on

Families, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences,

University of Massachusetts Amherst, 135 Hicks Way,

Amherst, MA 01003.

Key Words: adoption, attachment styles, close relationships,

adolescence, young adulthood.

either AP was related to less avoidance and

anxiety in close relationships.

Relationships with parents and signicant oth-

ers play important roles in human development,

with attachment being integral to both. Several

longitudinal studies based on attachment theory

have shown an association between early rela-

tionship experiences with parents and later adult

attachment with peers (Conger, Cui, Bryant, &

Elder, 2000; Simpson, Collins, Tran & Haydon,

2007). These studies suggest that more secure

parent – child attachments lead to more secure

relationships outside the family.

Most studies examining continuity between

attachment within the family and relationships

outside have been conducted with children who

are biologically related to their parents and have

lived with them since birth. Adopted children

are not biologically related to their adoptive

parents (APs) and may have lived in various

other settings before coming to their adop-

tive families. Little research has examined the

inuence of adoption on adoptive parent– child

relationships and subsequent relational devel-

opment outside the family. A meta-analysis

by van den Dries, Juffer, van IJzendoorn, and

Bakermans-Kranenburg (2009) revealed that

the majority of children adopted before age 12

months are able to form secure attachments to

their APs. However, regardless of age, adoptees

were more likely to demonstrate disorganized

Family Relations 64 (April 2015): 221– 232 221

DOI:10.1111/fare.12113