Stili attribuzionali e attaccamento in età infantile e in età adulta

The aim of this study is to examine associations between locus of control (internal vs external) and attachment style in childhood and in adult age. Locus of control was assessed in children by the Nowicki- Strickland Locus of Control Scale (Kirby, Grimley, 1989) and in adults by the Locus of Control of Behavior Questionnaire (Farma, Cortinovis, 2000). Attachment internal working models were assessed in children with the Separation Anxiety Test in Attili’s (2001) Italian modified and validated version and in adults with Experiences in Close Relationships (Picardi, Vermigli, Toni, D’Amico, Bitetti, Pasquini, 2002). Participants were 100 children (M = 44; F = 56) ranging from 7 to 10 years of age and 112 adults (M = 56; F = 56) between 35 and 54 years of age. Results show that in children internal locus of control associates with secure attachment, while external locus of control associates with ambivalent and avoiding attachment. Results show the same relation in adults too: secure individuals report an internal locus of control, while preoccupied and dismissing/avoiding individuals report an external locus of control. These results are interpreted as an outcome of internal working models of self and others. Secure individuals, in fact, have a representation of themselves as capable of coping and they have gained the awareness of their value. This accounts for the fact that these subjects definitely attribute the causes of events mostly to internal factors (effort and/or personal skills). They feel they can exercise control over the surrounding reality, thanks to greater self-esteem and a higher sense of self-efficacy. Insecure individuals, by contrast, have a representation of themselves as vulnerable and unable to cope. This could explain why they ascribe events mainly to external causes as they consider they have little control over external reality.

Scopo del presente studio è esaminare le associazioni tra locus of control (interno versus esterno) e stili di attaccamento (sicuro, ambivalente, evitante) in età infantile e in età adulta. Il locus of control è stato misurato nei bambini mediante la Scala Nowicki-Strickland (Kirby e Grimley, 1989) e negli adulti mediante il questionario Locus of Control of Behavior (Farma e Cortinovis, 2000). I modelli operativi interni dell’attaccamento sono stati misurati nei bambini con il Separation Anxiety, nella versione modificata e validata per l’Italia da Attili (2001) e negli adulti con l’Experiences in Close Relationships (Picardi, Vermigli, Toni, D’Amico, Bitetti e Pasquini, 2002). I partecipanti allo studio sono stati 100 bambini (M-44; F=56) di età compresa tra i 7 e i 10 anni e 112 adulti (M=56; F=56) di età compresa tra i 34 e i 54 anni. I risultati mostrano che nei bambini un locus of control interno è per lo più associato all’attaccamento sicuro, mentre un locus of control esterno è associato all’attaccamento ambivalente ed evitante. I risultati mostrano la medesima associazione anche negli adulti: gli individui sicuri possiedono un locus of control interno, mentre gli Invischiati/Preoccupati e i Distanzianti/Distaccati possiedono un locus of control esterno.