Abstract
Possible associations between parent-child interactions and adolescent well-being have been explored from a number of theoretical perspectives. In the present study, attachment theory was used as a general theoretical framework to study these associations with attention being concentrated on one particular aspect of adolescent well-being, i.e., loneliness and attitudes towards being alone. Measures of adolescent attachment style (based on ratings of both normal family scenes and stressful separation situations) and a multidimensional measure of loneliness were administered to two samples of Belgian (Dutch-speaking) adolescents aged 15 to 18 (n=200 and n=357, respectively). Subjects were classified into four attachment groups: Secure, Dependent, Anxious-Ambivalent and Avoidant. Results indicated that Securely attached adolescents experienced lower levels of parent-related loneliness and this effect extended to loneliness in the relationships with peers. Aversion to being alone was experienced more strongly among Dependently attached adolescents. Finally, adolescents who evidenced Avoidant or Anxious-Ambivalent attachment felt more positive about being on their own. Implications of these findings for attachment theory are discussed and problems associated with the four-category model of attachment as used in the present study are outlined.
Résumé
Les associations possibles entre interactions parents-enfants et sentiment de bien-être des adolescents ont été étudiées dans de multiples perspectives théoriques. Dans ce travail, c’est la théorie de l’attachement qui sert de cadre théorique à l’étude de ces relations et un seul aspect du bien-être de l’adolescent a été retenu: le sentiment de la solitude et l’attitude face à la solitude. Des mesures du style d’attachement adolescent (fondées sur la réaction à des scènes familiales normales et à des situations de séparation difficile) et une mesure multidimensionnelle de la solitude ont été recueillies auprès de deux échantillons d’adolescents belges (néerlandophones) respectivement âgés de 15 ans (n=200) et 18 ans (n=357). Les sujets ont été répartis en quatre groupes d’attachement: secures, dépendants, anxieux-ambivalents, évitants. Les résultats montrent que les adolescent au style d’attachement secure ont un moindre sentiment de solitude vis-à-vis de leurs parents aussi bien que de leurs pairs. La crainte de la solitude est plus grande chez les adolescents au style d’attachement dépendant. Enfin, les évitants et les anxieux-ambivalents acceptent plus positivement leur propre solitude. A la lumière de ces résultats, la discussion porte sur la théorie de l’attachement et le modèle à quatre catégories utilisé dans ce travail.
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Goossens, L., Marcoen, A., van Hees, S. et al. Attachment style and loneliness in adolescence. Eur J Psychol Educ 13, 529–542 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173103
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173103