Does Attachment in Infancy Predict Aggression in Middle Childhood?

Abstract

Children with insecure or disorganized attachments are at an increased risk for later internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, including aggression. The goal of this study was to examine whether infant attachment predicts reactive and proactive aggression in middle childhood, in a sample of children who had a history of neglect or abuse. I hypothesized that children with an insecure or disorganized attachment would show greater proactive and reactive aggression than children with secure or organized attachments. Attachment in infancy was assessed using the Strange Situation. Aggression in middle childhood was assessed using a video game that enticed a child to use either proactive or reactive aggression to win a prize in a game against a virtual peer. Neither attachment security nor attachment disorganization predicted reactive or proactive aggression. Future studies should use a larger sample and assess the validity of the aggression measure.