Attachment in boys with early onset conduct problems

Few studies have examined the association between attachment and psychopath ology in samples of clinically diagnosed children or the relation between a ttachment variables and the continuity of clinical symptoms. Clinic-referre d preschool boys (n = 80) with early onset conduct problems (as indicated b y diagnoses of Oppositional Defiant Disorder) were compared with a case-mat ched group of 80 nonproblem buys to determine whether observed attachment b ehaviors could: (a) differentiate the groups, (b) explain concurrent variat ion in problem severity within the clinic group, and (c) predict the outcom es of clinic boys 1 and 2 years later. Over half of the clinic boys with ea rly onset conduct problems (54%) exhibited an insecure attachment strategy during reunion, as opposed to 18% of comparison group boys. All insecure pa tterns were overrepresented in the clinic group. Clinic buys were more like ly than comparison boys to engage in provocative behavior when separated fr om their mothers. Contrary to our hypothesis. attachment variables showed l ittle ability to explain concurrent or future variation in the problem seve rity or diagnostic status of clinic boys. We conclude that observable attac hment behaviors exhibited during the preschool years are related to the ini tial identification of early onset conduct problems but may have little val ue by themselves in predicting the subsequent course and severity of proble ms in the 2 years following clinic referral.