The role of attachment in children's emotion regulation: Α scoping review of biophysiological empirical data

Recent studies highlight the significant impact of early attachment on children's socio-emotional development and mental health. The purpose of the present scoping review was to synthesize empirical data on the relationship between attachment and the physiological regulation of emotion following exposure to stress-inducing tasks, and to answer questions that are reasonably raised about the differentiation of responses according attachment orientation. In total, 4119 studies were identified through CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO and Scopus. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results demonstrated that secure children have an increased capacity for biophysiological and behavioral regulation of emotion. Ambivalence and disorganisation were associated with an under-regulated profile of emotion, whereas avoidance was associated with an over-regulated profile.