Children's attachment representations: A pilot study comparing family drawing with narrative and behavioral assessments in adopted and community children

This study compared an attachment-based coding system for family drawings with narrative and observational attachment measures in adopted children and those living with their natural parents (“community-based”) in Italy. Attachment patterns of 41 children (ages 5–8) were assessed by: a graphic measure, the Family Drawing (FD); a narrative measure, the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST); and an observational measure, the Separation-Reunion Procedure (SRP). In the community sample, a significant association emerged between the FD and MCAST disorganized vs. organized classifications, and a number of expected correlations between the FD Global Scales and the MCAST Coherence and Mentalizing continuous scales were found. In the adopted group, some FD Global Scales linked with insecure and disorganized representations revealed negative correlations with the MCAST Mentalizing scale. No correlations were found between the children's FD and SRP classifications and scales in both groups. The FD attachment-based coding system revealed a particular capacity to assess attachment representations during childhood capturing closely both insecure and disorganized patterns, both in adopted and community children. A special focus was put on the measurement of disorganization, as reflected in one drawing classified as disorganized