Specificities of the attachment pattern of boys: multiple case study

Authors

  • Michele Scheffel Schneider Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos
  • Vera Regina Röhnelt Ramires UNISINOS; PPG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.20017

Keywords:

attachment, specificity, boys

Abstract

This research sought to identify indicators of attachment pattern of boys related to their parental figures, to evaluate the existence of specificity in the attachment pattern related to mother and father so as to describe the families characteristics associated with the secure/insecure attachment. The study included three boys aged between 5 and 8 years old with problems at school. It was based on the attachment theory and adopted the method of Multiple Cases. Attachment indicators evaluation was appraised through Manchester Child Attachment Story Task - MCAST, a procedure where histories are associated with anguish situation. The analyses of the outcomes of each narrative showed indicators of attachment patterns involved. Other procedures were applied with the objective of complement the data found through MCAST: Global Scale and Frequency Scale of Specific Signals applied to the Family's Drawing, Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) and Interviews with the boys and their parents. In two of the three cases evaluated the hypothesis of attachment specificity pattern related to mother and father was considered. The quality of each parental relationship was unique and the attachment pattern considered as predominant secure presented some insecure indicators and vice-versa. The family characteristics are related to weak attachments, the register of diseases in the family history, maternal depression and conjugal conflicts, all of them were related to the constitution of the attachment insecure patterns. This study also identified the nomenclature diversity that defines the mains attachment concepts, a predominance of international literature and a lack of Brazilian studies about specifics of the attachment.

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Published

2011-08-01

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Artigos Originais

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