ATTACHMENT, INTELLIGENCE, AND LANGUAGE - A METAANALYSIS

In attachment theory, several hypotheses about the association between attachment and cognitive development have been generated. In a series of meta-analyses on 32 studies, we tested whether the quality of atta chment is related to intelligence (DQ or IQ) and to language competenc e. Attachment showed a weak association with DQ and IQ measures (combi ned r = .09; N = 1026). The combined effect size for the relation betw een attachment and language competence was r = .28 (N = 303). We concl ude, first, that differences in intelligence do not play a major role in shaping attachment relationships. Differences in quality of attachm ent are not confounded in any significant way with differences in inte lligence. Second, secure children appeared to be more competent in the language domain than insecure children. Language development appears to be stimulated in the context of a secure attachment relationship be cause secure parents may be better 'teachers' and secure children may be better motivated 'students'.