De relatie tussen zelfwaardering en gehechtheid aan ouders bij zevenjarige kinderen

Abstract

In the present study, the effects of attachment relationships on 7-year-olds' selfesteem were examined. It was examined whether a secure representation of attachment has positive effects on children's self-esteem. Furthermore, the predictive value of attachment to father and mother was tested. It was examined what the effects are of a secure attachment relationship to one parent, but an insecure to the other, of two secure attachment relationships, and of two insecure attachment relationships. Seventy children (36 boys and 34 girls) participated in the study. Results show a relation between the representations of child-mother and child-father attachment and children's self-esteem. Children with a secure representation of attachment to mother or father show a more positive selfesteem (assessed by a Puppet Interview) than children with an insecure representation of attachment. This study is the first to show a relation between young children's self-esteem and the representation of attachment to father. When examining the joint effects of child-mother and child-father attachments, it was found that a secure attachment to one parent can compensate for an insecure attachment to the other parent.