Kids with strong bonds to parents more adaptable in relationships

Researchers have claimed that children having strong bonds to parents are likely to make positive, responsive pal, and would be much better at adapting to a difficult peer by asserting their needs.

Nancy McElwain, a U of I professor of human development, said securely attached children are more responsive to suggestions or requests made by a new peer partner.

McElwain said a child who has experienced a secure attachment relationship with caregivers is likely to come into a new peer relationship with positive expectations.

In the study, the researchers assessed the security of child-mother attachment relationships for 114 children at 33 months, and parents reported on their child's temperament, including anger proneness and social fearfulness.

At 39 months, children of the same gender were randomly paired with one another and observed over three laboratory visits in a one-month period.

Securely attached kids were more responsive to a new peer partner the first time they met, even if the new child was prone to anger. Kids with secure attachments continued to respond favorably on the second and third visits when the peer partner's anger was low - but not when the other child's anger was high, the researcher said.

When a child is paired with a peer who is quick to become frustrated or angry, the positive social expectations of a child with a secure attachment are likely not met. The securely attached child may then adapt to the situation and dampen his responsiveness to the challenging partner, McElwain said.

The study showed that a child's level of attachment security, their partner's tendency to become angry, and how well the children knew each other (earlier vs. later visits) combined to predict a child's behavior.

The study has been published in journal Developmental Psychology.