THE ADULT ATTACHMENT INTERVIEW AND QUESTIONNAIRES FOR ATTACHMENT STYLE, TEMPERAMENT, AND MEMORIES OF PARENTAL BEHAVIOR

Relations between Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) outcomes and data f rom questionnaires on attachment style, temperament, and memories of p arental caregiving behavior were investigated to examine theoretical a nd methodological specificity of the AAI. The participants were 83 mot hers of 1-year-olds. No differences between the three AAI classificati ons (autonomous, dismissing, or preoccupied) were found. Correlations between scales yielded few significant relations, with the exception o f strong relations between some AAI scales for experiences and self-re ported memories of parental behavior. The self-report questionnaires f or attach ment style and memories of parental behavior were therefore found to be not suitable for obtaining information about attachment wo rking models as assessed by the AAI. Furthermore, attachment working m odels appear independent of temperament.