Work

Pathways linking attachment and depressive symptoms for Black and White adolescents: do race and neighborhood racism matter?

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Decades of evidence demonstrate that insecure attachment is associated with increased risk for depressive symptoms. Yet research has focused on predominantly White samples, with little attention to whether developmental pathways vary by social-contextual factors like racial identity and neighborhood racism. This study examines whether longitudinal links between attachment style and depressive symptoms differ for White and Black American adolescents or by exposure to neighborhood racism (N = 171, Mage at Time 1 = 14 years). Multigroup measured variable path analyses controlling for gender and household income revealed that attachment avoidance predicted relative increases in depressive symptoms for White adolescents, but not for Black adolescents. Links between attachment style and depressive symptoms did not differ based on exposure to neighborhood racism. Experiences of neighborhood racism were associated with greater attachment avoidance but not anxiety. Results highlight the importance of examining attachment in different socioecological contexts to illuminate the unique pathways characterizing Black youth development.

Source: Attachment & Human Development

DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.1976924

Authors: Jessica A. Stern, Jason D. Jones, Bridget M. Nortey, Carl W. Lejuez, Jude Cassidy

Institutions: University of Virginia, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, College Park

Language: English

Topic: Attachment and Relationship Dynamics

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development