This dissertation aimed to shed light on the study of attachment theory in areas other than western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD; Henrich et al., 2010) societies that... Show moreThis dissertation aimed to shed light on the study of attachment theory in areas other than western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD; Henrich et al., 2010) societies that dominate the literature. We aimed to describe the extent to which the attachment theory core hypotheses are supported by research in Latin America and specifically in a rural Peruvian Andean area. Show less
We examined the development of international adoptees from infancy to young adulthood, and factors influencing developmental outcomes in middle childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. The... Show moreWe examined the development of international adoptees from infancy to young adulthood, and factors influencing developmental outcomes in middle childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. The results for cognitive development (Chapter 2) showed that early malnutrition influenced cognitive and health-related outcomes, but its consequences did not extend to socioeconomic success later in life. The human brain seems capable of adapting to changing environmental influences, but earlier placement in a positive family environment should be preferred (see also Chapter 1). The adoptees in the Leiden Longitudinal Adoption Study were exposed to few adversities due to their early adoptive placement, and the combination with the nurturing environment of a permanent adoptive family resulted in positive cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes (Chapters 2 and 3). Our results for longitudinal (sensitivity) and concurrent relations (reactivity to infant crying) with attachment representations in young adulthood (Chapters 3 and 4) clearly point to this role of the family environment in predicting social-emotional outcomes. High parenting quality is important, also in families where children do not share a common genetic basis with their parents. In sum, adoption can be seen as a positive intervention and the (adoptive) family environment matters for children growing up from infants to young adults. Show less
This thesis addressed the physiological impact of fear in 4- and 7-year-old children, induced by media and social fear-inducing tasks (the Trier Social Stress Test for Children). The main question... Show moreThis thesis addressed the physiological impact of fear in 4- and 7-year-old children, induced by media and social fear-inducing tasks (the Trier Social Stress Test for Children). The main question pertained to individual differences in physiological reactivity to fear-inducing stimuli. The possibly relevant factors of attachment security, the child’s temperamental fearfulness, and variations in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR; long vs. short allele) were taken into account. Results showed that temperament, attachment, and genetic influences play significant and interactive roles in the expression of fear reactivity. A secure relationship affected the reactivity to media-induced fear stimuli in temperamentally more fearful children but not in less fearful children irrespective of children’s ages. This finding adds to the growing literature showing that children high in negative emotion are more susceptible to positive as well as negative rearing influences. Furthermore, we found evidence that reactivity to the social fear-inducing task was explained by a combination of variations in the serotonin transporter gene and attachment security. Children with a secure attachment representation and two long 5-HTT alleles showed the lowest levels of fear reactivity, indicating that physiological reactivity to a social fear-inducing task is a product of the child’s biology and environment. Show less
