Resumo

MATOS, Paula Mena  e  COSTA, Maria Emília. Parental and romantic attachment in adolescents. Psicologia [online]. 2006, vol.20, n.1, pp.97-126. ISSN 0874-2049.

Based on Bowlby's and Ainsworth's attachment theory, and on Bartholomew's conceptual and methodo­logical approach, this paper addresses parental and romantic attachment represen­tations of late adolescents. Using a cross­‑sectional research design, the study examines (a) continuities and discontinuities across relational domains, and (b) differences in attachment representations as a function of adolescent’s and paren­tal gender. Two coded semistructured interviews (Family Attachment Inter­view e Peer Attachment Interview, Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) were administrated to a sample of 82 late adolescents. Results indicate the presence of regularities in the attachment representations of both domains, evidenced in the thematic and content recurrences, as well as in the structural recurrences of the narratives' organization. Albeit the moderate magnitude of the values observed, adolescents with secure attachments to parents tend to relate in a more secure way to their romantic partners, presenting more positive representations of self and others. No gender differences in attachment patterns were observed, although attachment to mother was classified as more preoccupied for boys and girls, and attachment to father as more dismissive only for boys.

Palavras-chave : attachment to parents; romantic relationships; adolescence; narrative.

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