This study examined pregnant/parenting adolescents and non-pregnant/non-parenting adolescents in relationship to preoccupied attachment, as measured by the Adult Attachment Projective, and compared the responses of the groups on self-reported behavior, as measured by the Behavior Assessment System for Children. The groups were compared in terms of self-reported social support, as measured by the Social Provisions Scale, and negative life events, as measured by the Life Events Checklist. The two status groups were also compared to determine whether the relationship between interpersonal relations and social provisions was moderated by pregnant/parenting status. Contrary to expectations, the proportion of preoccupied adolescents in the pregnant/parenting group was not significantly higher than the proportion of preoccupied adolescents in the non-pregnant/non-parenting group. The pregnant/parenting groups were found to be significantly higher in average level of self-reported self esteem and significantly lower in average level of self-reported social stress than the non-pregnant/non-k parenting groups, not in the direction predicted. The pregnant/parenting group was significantly higher in average level of social provisions. No significant differences were found between the two status groups average number of reported negative life events, average level of sense of inadequacy, or average level of interpersonal relations. A correlation was found between interpersonal relations and social provisions separately for each status group. Moreover, the relationship was not moderated by pregnant/parenting status (i.e. the correlations were not significantly different). Additional analyses were performed in an effort to control for the two main reasons these adolescents reported for enrolling (needing more credits or expulsion from their former school) in the alternative high schools where the data were collected because a marginally significant associated was found between reason and the pregnant/parenting status. Results determined that the average level of social stress remained significantly different between the two pregnant/parenting status groups. The average level of self-esteem and the average social provisions were no longer were significantly different. Average level of sense of inadequacy and average number of negative events remained non significant between the two pregnant/parenting status groups. Possible explanations for these findings, implications for theory, interventions, and future directions for research are discussed.

Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.