Is Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up effective for parents with insecure attachment states of mind?

Abstract

Prior research suggests that attachment-based interventions, including Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), may be less effective at enhancing parenting quality among parents who self-report having an insecure attachment style. The current study tested whether effects of ABC on parental behavior were moderated by categorical and dimensional measures of attachment obtained via Adult Attachment Interviews with 454 parents who were approximately 34 years old, primarily female, and predominantly White or African American. Parents randomized to ABC exhibited higher sensitivity and positive regard, and lower intrusiveness shortly after the intervention than parents randomized to the control intervention (|β|s = .10-.27). The effect of ABC on intrusiveness persisted 2 years later. Effects at either timepoint were not significantly moderated by parents' attachment representations.