The Relationships Among Temperament, Attachment and Initial Adjustment to College
The Relationships Among Temperament, Attachment and Initial Adjustment to College
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Date
1989
Authors
McAndrew-Miller, Carol
Advisor
Teglasi, Hedwig
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Abstract
Attachment theory suggests that the nature of the
infant's first relationship with its primary caretaker is
the foundation of normal development and influences
adjustment in various domains throughout the life-span.
Temperament research also indicates a relationship between
temperament attributes and adaptation to change. The
research in attachment and temperament has primarily
focused on young children and adolescents. This research
project sought to investigate the relationship of the
constructs of attachment and temperament with initial
adjustment to· college. A total sample of 261 first
semester college freshmen from two college/universities
completed a series of questionnaires. The questionnaires
included indices of students' perception of past
attachment relationships (Parental Bonding Instrument;
Parker, Tupling, & Brown, 1979), temperament profile (Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey; (Windle &
Lerner, 1986) and adjustment to college (Student
Adaptation to College Questionnaire; Baker & Siryk, 198 6 );
Perceived Social Support Scale- Friends; Procidano &
Heller, 1983). Through multiple regression analyses,
results indicated that temperament (positive mood, low
distractibility, and rhythmicity/ positive mood
flexibility, rhythmicity-eating and persistence)
correlated with attachment (care/low overprotection).
Temperament was found to correlate with the five areas of
adjustment (academic: distractibility, flexibility,
activity level-general, rhythmicity-daily habits,
persistence; social: approach, mood, flexibility,
persistence; personal/emotional: flexibility;
rhythmicity-eating, activity level-sleep, distractibility;
goal attainment: mood flexibility, persistence, approach;
perceived social support: mood, approach, rhythmicity-eating).
Post hoc analyses indicated school and gender
differences within specific domains of attachment and
adjustment. High school grade point average was best
predicted by the temperament dimensions of flexibility,
mood, and persistence whereas first semester college grade
point average was best predicted by the low
distractibility, rhythmicity-sleep and activity level-sleep.
For the relationship of attachment to college
adjustment, care was the most significant predictor for
the five aspects of adjustment. The results of this research are supportive of the earlier work with children
and adolescents and validates that attachment and
temperament are influential variables in adjustment during
the life-span.