A longitudinal U.S. study has found that adolescents with insecure attachment to their fathers exhibit higher levels of both internalizing and externalizing mental health symptoms. This study, published in Developmental Science, discovered that more severe externalizing symptoms were linked to increased alcohol consumption 1-2 years later. Attachment to mothers was not associated with these outcomes.
The research involved 167 adolescents, tracked from ages 13-14 to 18-20, who completed assessments on parental attachment, mental health symptoms, and alcohol use over five years. Findings showed that insecure attachment to fathers correlated with heightened mental health issues and increased alcohol use, mediated by externalizing symptoms. In contrast, attachment to mothers did not show a direct link to these outcomes.
The study highlights the critical role of father-adolescent relationships in the development of mental health problems and substance use, suggesting that insecure father attachment may set the stage for subsequent issues. The researchers advocate for further studies using multiple informants to validate these findings.
