Intergenerational Transmission of Attachment. Family Interactive Dynamics and Psychopathology: What kind of Relationship in Adolescence?

Introduction: This work is an example of empirical research. The aim was to look to the possible transgenerational influence between parents and adolescents attachment bond to their respective parents, infant armonic and/or disarmonic development and functional or dysfunctional family interactions.

Methodology: 40 families with adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years (μ = 14.575, σ = 1.716) coming for a psychodiagnostic evaluation were tested with Lausanne Trilogue Play, Parental Bonding Instrument, Child Behaviour Checklist and Youth Self Report. Hypothesis: a) Is there an association between the adolescent’s perceived attachment relationship with his parents and his psychopathological symptoms? In this case a non parametric test for k independent groups was performed. b) Is there an association between parents-adolescent interactive dynamics and the parents’ perceived attachment relationship with their parents (adolescent’s grand-parents). In this case correlations and non-parametric test for k independent groups were performed.

Results: a) We found significant statistical differences (p < .05) between adolescent psychopathology and the quality of perceived relationship with both the mother and the father. b) we found positive correlations between quality of relationship between the mother and her father (adolescent grandfather) and the scores of some LTP scales concerning normative function; moreover we found negative correlations between the father and his mother (adolescent’s grandmother) and the scores of some LTP scales concerning affective function.

Conclusion: These results underline a significant association between the internal working model of the mother and her ways to interact and manage the relation with her adolescent son; this is a clinical evidence too. Another relevant result is the association between adolescent’s psychopathology and his internal working model. Clinical applications regarding these findings should be taken in account when psychotherapeutically working with adolescents and their families.