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This study examined the role of attachment in adolescent psychopathology among psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Subjects consisted of 60 adolescents and 27 of their mothers. Measures included the Adult Attachment Interview classification for both the adolescents and their mothers, and a battery of diagnostic and personality assessment of the adolescents. The findings revealed that the quality of adolescent attachment relationships with parents was strongly related to both clinical diagnosis and personality dimensions. A striking similarity between patients' and mothers' attachment classification also was found. Adolescents whose attachment organization was Dismissing relied upon a strategy of defensive exclusion from awareness of information which portrayed attachment relationships in a negative light. This strategy was shared by adolescent with externalizing disorders (conduct disorder, substance abuse) and by Narcissistic and Antisocial Personality Disorders and traits. Adolescents in the Preoccupied group were extremely sensitive to difficulties in their attachment relationships and overwhelmed by negative perceptions of parents. These patients were likely to have an Affective Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive, Histrionic, Borderline, and Schizotypal Personality Disorders, and dependent, avoidant, schizotypal, and dysthymic personality traits. (NB)

In relationships among attachment classification, psychopathology, and personality, traits were examined in a group of 60 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Attachment was examined in 27 adolescent-mother pairs. Both adolescent and maternal attachment status were overwhelmingly insecure and were highly concordant. Results support a model of development of psychopathology based partially on relational experiences with parents. (KW)