Attachment and psychopathology in children and adolescents

Introduction: Secure attachment develops in early relationships between infants and their caregivers, providing a foundation for emotional security and mental health across the lifespan. In contrast, insecure attachment is associated with maladaptive stress response and an increased risk of both internalizing and externalizing mental health problems. This study examined the association between attachment (in)security and psychopathology in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) compared with healthy peers. We also considered caregivers’ attachment security and traumatic life events to better understand interacting biopsychosocial factors in children living with a chronic illness.Methods: A group of children with T1D (N = 101) and a group of healthy control children (N = 106) aged 8–15 years and one of their parents were included in the study. A Child Attachment Interview (CAI) was conducted with the children and a Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS) with the parents to assess their attachment security. Stressful life events in the children’s lives were recorded using a questionnaire on the traumatic events (LITE). The children’s psychopathology was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Descriptive analyses and linear regression models were used to analyze the data.Results: Fifty-nine percent of children had secure attachment, 39% were dismissing, and 2% preoccupied