Journal article
What accounts for multifinality of the pathways from family ecological adversity to children's future antisocial outcomes? Exploring early attachment relationships as a source of resilience in low- and high-risk samples
Development and psychopathology
11/13/2025
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579425100904
PMCID: PMC12825960
PMID: 41230653
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Research has robustly demonstrated that children exposed to early ecological adversity are at risk for developing antisocial, externalizing behavior problems (rule breaking, aggression, disregard for others). Yet, studies have also demonstrated multifinality in developmental pathways unfolding in adversity's aftermath, with many children showing remarkable resilience. Understanding sources of such resilience is critical, especially across different populations (Luthar et al., 2006, 2015). In Family Study (FS, 102 low-risk mothers, fathers, and infants) and Play Study (PS, 186 high-risk mother-toddler dyads), we test a model of parent-child attachment security, observed at 15 months in FS and 2.5 years in PS, as a moderator of effects of early family ecological adversity, assessed as a cumulative score of sociodemographic risks (graded for severity) at 7 months in FS and 2.5 years in PS, on children's antisocial, externalizing problems, observed and parent-reported at 5.5 years in FS and 7 years in PS. We supported moderation for mother-child relationships in both studies: Higher early family adversity was associated with more antisocial outcomes five years later, but only for children with less secure attachments. We highlight the key role of early security as a protective factor and a source of resilience for children in families experiencing adversity.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- What accounts for multifinality of the pathways from family ecological adversity to children's future antisocial outcomes? Exploring early attachment relationships as a source of resilience in low- and high-risk samples
- Creators
- Juyoung Kim - University of IowaHaley M Herbert - University of IowaGrazyna Kochanska - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Development and psychopathology
- DOI
- 10.1017/S0954579425100904
- PMID
- 41230653
- PMCID
- PMC12825960
- NLM abbreviation
- Dev Psychopathol
- ISSN
- 1469-2198
- eISSN
- 1469-2198
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Grant note
- National Institute of Mental Health: K02 MH001446, R01 MH063096 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: R01 HD069171, R01 HD110427
This work was funded by the grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (K02 MH001446, R01 MH063096) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD069171, R01 HD110427) to Grazyna Kochanska. The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 11/13/2025
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9985027355102771
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