Article

Differences in Cognitive Abilities According to Attachment Type in Middle Childhood Boys

Author

Kang Sujoeng,Yi Soon-Hyung,Choi Eun-Jeong

Information

pp. 175~195 / 2017 Vol.24 No.3

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate children’s cognitive abilities associated with attachment type.Attachment scores were assessed using the Separation Anxiety Test in a sample of 89 boys in grades 3and 4. Fifty-one children were evaluated as having secure attachment type, and thirty-eight children ashaving insecure attachment type. Their cognitive abilities were then assessed using the K-WISC-IV.Statistical methods used for data analysis were frequencies, means, standard deviations and independentt-test. The results were as follows: 1) Boys of secure attachment type showed better cognitive capability infull scale IQ, verbal comprehension ability, perceptual reasoning ability and working memory abilitycompared to boys of the insecure attachment type. 2) There was no statistically significant difference inprocessing speed ability between secure and insecure attachment types. This study empirically showed therelationship between attachment types and cognitive abilities of middle childhood boys; processing speedability, however, was not related to attachment type.

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