The Contribution of the Character of Child-parent Relationships to the Level of Development of Regulatory Functions in Senior Preschool Age

This study aims to examine the distribution of attachment types to the mother in modern Russian children and to identify the relationship between the type of attachment to the mother and the level of development of executive functions (EF) in older preschoolers (N=439). A secure type of attachment to the mother was determined in 52%, anxious-ambivalent – in 18%, anxious-avoidant – in 22%, and disorganized – in 8% of children. Assessments of cognitive flexibility and behavioral inhibition are significantly higher in children with secure than with anxious-ambivalent and anxious-avoidant attachment. Assessments of verbal working memory are significantly higher, and visual working memory are significantly lower in children with anxious-ambivalent than in children with anxious-avoidant attachment to mother. When performing tasks on cognitive inhibition, children with anxious-ambivalent attachment more often resort to the strategy of "avoidance of failures", while with avoidant – to the strategy of "achievements". Children with a disorganized type of attachment to their mother received the lowest scores on all tasks for regulatory functions.