Longitudinal Associations Between Attachment Representations Coded in
the Adult Attachment Interview in Late Adolescence and Perceptions of
Romantic Relationship Adjustment in Adulthood
Abstract
Increasingly, researchers have operationalized AAI derived attachment
representations as reflecting individual differences in secure base
script knowledge (AAIsbs)—the degree to which individuals show
awareness of the temporal-causal schema that summarizes the basic
features of seeking and receiving effective support from caregivers when
in distress. In a series of pre-registered analyses, we used AAI
transcripts recently re-coded for AAIsbs and leveraged a new follow-up
assessment of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development
cohort around age 30 years (479 currently partnered participants) to
assess and compare the links between AAIsbs and traditional AAI coding
measures in late adolescence and self-reported romantic relationship
quality in adulthood. Higher AAIsbs predicted better dyadic adjustment
scores in adulthood, above and beyond other AAI-derived coding measures,
and sociodemographic and cognitive functioning covariates. Findings
extend previous evidence pointing to the predictive significance of
AAIsbs for multiple adult functioning domains.