Harris,
Lauren (05/10) Experiences of separation from caregivers during immigration:
Adult attachment style and responses to separation-related words and pictures
in African-Caribbean immigrants (Philip Wong, Ph.D.; Carol Magai, Ph.D.; Joan
Duncan, Ph.D.)
The present study examines the impact of
childhood separations from caregivers during immigration on Caribbean immigrant
populations in the U.S. and the relation of such experiences to adult
attachment. Previous research has shown that Caribbean individuals evidence
high levels of avoidant attachment and autonomy. The present study examines
whether childhood separation experiences during immigration are contributing to
avoidant attachment in this population, or whether high levels of autonomy are
causing such individuals to be mistakenly classified as "avoidant."
Caribbean immigrant, African-Caribbean-American, and African-American
university students were administered the Relationship Styles Questionnaire,
the Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale, the Separation Anxiety Test, and an emotional Stroop
task involving the use of separation-related words. Separation experiences
during immigration were not found to influence adult attachment styles,
although separation experiences in general were. The role of context in
mitigating the impact of separation experiences is discussed, as well as
limitations of the current study. Scores on the Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale were
found to be predictive of adult attachment, and in particular, the Independence
sub-scale was found to significantly predict levels of avoidant attachment.
This suggests that the Relationship Styles Questionnaire may not be a
culturally valid measure of adult attachment in the populations under study.
Results from the emotional Stroop task and the Separation Anxiety Test were
inconclusive. This calls into question the cultural validity of the Separation
Anxiety Test as well. The emotional Stroop task is discussed with regard to
methodological limitations.
