NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1481888
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jul
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1522-7227
EISSN: EISSN-1522-7219
Available Date: 2025-08-21
Children's Trust and Attachment Representations before and after the COVID-19 Lockdown: Exploring Links with Hair Cortisol Concentration
Marlies Wintmolders1; Bien Cuyvers1; Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg2,3; Marinus H. Van IJzendoorn4; Guy Bosmans1
Infant and Child Development, v34 n4 e70049 2025
Theory suggests that attachment figures' regulation of child arousal during stress is central to the development of secure attachment, that is, trust in the attachment figure, and knowledge about care-related interactions, known as the Secure Base Script (SBS). The current study tested the hypothesis that hair cortisol concentration (HCC), reflecting cumulative cortisol production over time, would be associated with attachment development in middle childhood during the first COVID-19 lockdown. HCC was measured in 55 West-European children (56.4% girls) aged 9-11 years (M = 9.48, SD = 0.47) as a biomarker of chronic stress during the lockdown. SBS knowledge and self-reported trust in the attachment figure were measured both before and after the lockdown period to assess attachment development. The results supported the hypothesis that higher HCC was associated with a decrease in trust in the attachment figure ([partial eta-squared] = 0.08). However, contrary to expectations, HCC did not moderate changes in SBS knowledge. Instead, all children showed an increase in SBS knowledge over time, regardless of HCC ([partial eta-squared] = 0.954). These findings suggest that cognitive (i.e., SBS knowledge) and affective (i.e., trust) dimensions of attachment may be differentially affected by stress. Further research is needed to clarify the role of endocrinological processes in distinct dimensions of attachment development.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/hnfz9/
Author Affiliations: 1Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; 2ISPA – University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal; 3Facultad de Psicología y Humanidades, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Valdivia, Chile; 4Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, London, UK