Author:

Keywords:

ECR-RC, Attachment, Short version, Validation, Social Sciences, Psychology, Social, Psychology, PARENTAL PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTROL, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, MIDDLE CHILDHOOD, ATTACHMENT, ADOLESCENCE, INVENTORY, AUTONOMY, STYLE, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Social Psychology, 5202 Biological psychology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale - Revised Child version (ECR-RC; Brenning, Soenens, Braet, & Bosmans, 2011a) is a valuable tool for measuring anxious and avoidant attachment to parents in middle childhood and adolescence. However, given its substantial length, the present study aimed to develop an abridged ECR-RC. Four separate samples were used to attain this goal. First (Sample 1, N=1880; M= 12. years), item selection resulted in a 12-item version, comprising six items for attachment anxiety and six items for attachment avoidance. Next, psychometric properties of this brief ECR-RC were investigated in Sample 1 and cross-validated in an older sample (Sample 2, N=310; M= 16. years) and in a clinical sample (Sample 3, N=99; M= 14. years). In all three samples, comparison of the full and reduced ECR-RC revealed similar psychometric properties. In a final sample (Sample 4, N=110; M= 18. years), we assessed reliability, factor structure and validity when administering the 12-item ECR-RC as a stand-alone instrument. In conclusion, the brief ECR-RC showed excellent reliability and validity. © 2014 .