Attachment and depressive symptoms in middle childhood

The moderating role of skin conductance level variability

Bibliographic Data

ID2935820
AuthorsGuy Bosmans (0000-0001-9057-6027, KU Leuven, corresponding author), Nicoleta Poiana (KU Leuven), Karla Van Leeuwen (0000-0002-6628-3483, KU Leuven), Adinda Dujardin (KU Leuven), Simon De Winter (0000-0002-3475-7197, KU Leuven), Chloe Finet (0000-0002-8284-3276, KU Leuven), Joke Heylen (0000-0002-2809-3320, KU Leuven), Magali Van De Walle (KU Leuven)
Year2016
Volume33
Issue8
Pages1135-1148
Publication date2016-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0265407515618278
OpenAlexW2291342269
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited42

The current study investigated whether biological sensitivity to emotional information moderates the link between attachment anxiety/avoidance and depressive symptoms. Sixty children (9-12 years old) completed questionnaires on attachment and depressive symptoms. Skin conductance level (SCL) was measured across three conditions: an emotionally neutral baseline condition, a negative mood induction condition, and a positive mood induction condition. SCL variability (SCLV) was calculated as the intraindividual variation across these conditions expressing the extent to which children are biologically sensitive to positive and negative emotional information. Results showed that SCLV moderated the association between depressive symptoms and attachment anxiety. Attachment anxiety was only linked with depressive symptoms when children showed more SCLV, suggesting that attachment anxiety is only a risk factor for children who are biologically sensitive to respond to emotional information. SCLV did not moderate the association between depressive symptoms and attachment avoidance. Instead, a significant correlation was found between attachment avoidance and SCLV, which replicated previous research and might be caused by more avoidantly attached children's unsuccessful attempts to suppress emotional reactions

Anxiety · Association (psychology · Attachment theory · Depressive symptoms · Developmental psychology · Mood · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Psychology

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