Original scientific paper

Perception of Past Relations and Attachment of Adolescents and Their Mothers

Sanja Smojver-Ažić
Ines Jakovčić

Abstract

Intergenerational transmission of attachment assumes link between mental representations in past relations with parents and quality of child attachment. This study explores perception of past relations with mothers and quality of current
attachment in the sample of 287 high school student and 198 mothers.
Cluster analysis was used to classify students on the basis of their attachment style. Four clusters corresponded to conventional attachment styles. Rejection from mothers experienced by adolescents is moderately related to rejection, but in low correlation with control their mothers perceived as children from their mothers, and negatively correlated to care experienced by their mothers in their childhood. Low but significant correlations between the same dimensions of current quality of attachment support the hypothesis about intergenerational transmission of attachment.
Results also suggest some generational differences in perceived past relation with mother. Mothers perceived significantly less care and higher levels of overprotection and rejection from their mothers than their adolescent children. Both adolescents and their mothers classified as dismissed perceived less care and higher levels of overprotection and rejection than the secure, preoccupied and fearful participants.

Keywords

intergenerational transmission of attachment; adolescents; perception of past relations with parents; Attachment Style Questionnaire

Hrčak ID:

11832

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/11832

Publication date:

1.12.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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