Research on attachment within families: Collaboration on Attachment Research Synthesis (CARS)

CARS Subprojects

• CATS: Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis

  Previous research has shown a link between parents’ attachment representations and the quality of the attachment relationship they develop with their own children. A meta-analysis by our research group confirmed that caregiver sensitivity — the ability to accurately respond to a child’s signals — partially explains this association. Yet, we still know little about the mechanisms behind this transmission.

  Within the CATS project (Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis), we focus on answering the question: how can we explain the intergenerational transmission of attachment? In this project, we have combined data from over 60 studies and 4,500 parent-child pairs worldwide, allowing us to study this question in a diverse population with sufficient statistical power using individual participant data meta-analysis. For example, we now know that transmission is considerably weaker in families with a risk background compared to families with a normative background (Verhage et al., 2018).

  Additionally, this dataset provides opportunities for deeper theoretical and methodological exploration.

  This approach enables us to answer new questions using existing data, improving our understanding of how attachment is transmitted across generations — and how we can best support families.

  References

  Bakkum, L., Verhage, M.L., Schuengel, C., Duschinsky, R., Cornelisz, I., Van Klaveren, C., . . . The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (2022). Exploring the meaning of unresolved loss and trauma in more than 1,000 Adult Attachment Interviews. Development and Psychopathology, 35 (2), 587-603. doi:10.1017/S0954579421001735

  Raby, K., Verhage, M. L., Fearon, R., Fraley, R., Roisman, G., Van IJzendoorn, M., . . . The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (2022). The latent structure of the adult attachment interview: Large sample evidence from the collaboration on attachment transmission synthesis. Development and Psychopathology, 34(1), 307-319. doi:10.1017/S0954579420000978

  Verhage, M. L., Fearon, R. M. P., Schuengel, C., Van IJzendoorn, M. H., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Madigan, S., . . . The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis. (2018). Examining ecological constraints on the intergenerational transmission of attachment via individual participant data meta-analysis. Child Development, 89(6), 2023-2037. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13085

  Verhage, M.L., Schuengel, C., Duschinsky, R., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Fearon, R. M. P., Madigan, S., . . . The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (2020). The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (CATS): A move to the level of individual-participant-data meta-analysis. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29 (2), 199-206. doi: 10.1177/0963721420904967

  Verhage M. L., Schuengel, C., Holopainen, A., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Bernier, A., Brown, G. L., Madigan, S., Roisman, F. I., Vaever, M., Wong, M. S., and the Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (2022). Conceptual comparison of constructs as first step in data harmonization: Parental sensitivity, child temperament, and social support as illustrations. MethodsX, 9, 101889. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101889

• CAMPOS: Collaboration on Attachment with Multiple Parents and Outcomes Synthesis

  Previous research on attachment relationships has primarily focused on the mother-child relationship, while a child naturally grows up within a network of caregivers. The CAMPOS project investigates how attachment relationships with different caregivers can influence children’s developmental outcomes. For example, can a secure attachment with the father compensate for the effects of an insecure attachment with the mother?

  To explore this, data from multiple studies examining attachment with both fathers and mothers and their children have been combined. Individual participant data meta-analyses are being conducted on these datasets.

  References

  Dagan, O., Schuengel, C., Verhage, M. L., Madigan, S., Roisman, G. I., Bernard, K., . . . & the Collaboration on Attachment to Multiple Parents and Outcomes Synthesis (2024). Configurations of mother–child and father–child attachment relationships as predictors of child language competence: An individual participant data meta-analysis. Child Development, 95, 50-69. doi 10.1111/cdev.13998

  Dagan, O., Schuengel, C., Verhage, M.L., Madigan, S., Roisman, G.I., Van IJzendoorn, M.H., . . . & the Collaboration on Attachment to Multiple Parents and Outcomes Synthesis (2024). Attachment relationship quality with mothers and fathers and child temperament: An individual participant data meta-analysis. Developmental Psychology. doi: 10.1037/dev0001677.

  Dagan, O., Schuengel, C., Verhage, M. L., Van IJzendoorn, M. H., Sagi-Schwartz, A., Madigan, S., . . . The Collaboration on Attachment to Multiple Parents and Outcomes Synthesis (2021). Configurations of mother-child and father-child attachment as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems: An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2021, 67– 94. doi: 10.1002/cad.20450

• CASCOM: Collaboration on Attachment Security in the Context of Maltreatment

  Previous research shows that some children who are victims of abuse or maltreatment within the family develop a disorganized attachment relationship with their caregivers, but this is not the case for all children. This study focuses on the question of what characterizes these resilient children. Greater knowledge of this can provide guidance for supporting children growing up in such challenging circumstances.

  To investigate this, data from various studies involving children who are victims of abuse or maltreatment are being combined for individual participant data meta-analysis.

  This project is currently in the data collection phase.

  Traditional meta-analyses:

  Within the international collaboration, we have also conducted several traditional meta-analyses.

  References

  Madigan, S., Deneault, A.-A., Duschinsky, R., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Schuengel, C., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Ly, A., Fearon, R. M. P., Eirich, R., & Verhage, M. L. (2024). Maternal and paternal sensitivity: Key determinants of child attachment security examined through meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 150(7), 839–872. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000433

  Madigan, S., Fearon, R. M. P., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Duschinsky, R., Schuengel, C., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Ly, A., Cooke, J. E., Deneault, A.-A., Oosterman, M., & Verhage, M. L. (2023). The first 20,000 strange situation procedures: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 149(1-2), 99–132. doi: 10.1037/bul0000388

  Verhage, M. L., Schuengel, C., Madigan, S., Fearon, R. M. P., Oosterman, M., Cassibba, R. Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & Van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2016). Narrowing the transmission gap: A synthesis of three decades of research on intergenerational transmission of attachment. Psychological Bulletin, 142(4), 337-366. doi: 10.1037/bul0000038