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Romantic attachment in young adults with very low birth weight – The Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2010

R. Pyhälä ,
K. Räikkönen ,
A.-K. Pesonen ,
K. Heinonen ,
P. Hovi ,
A.-L. Järvenpää ,
J. G. Eriksson ,
S. Andersson  and
E. Kajantie
R. Pyhälä
Affiliation:
Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
K. Räikkönen*
Affiliation:
Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
A.-K. Pesonen
Affiliation:
Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
K. Heinonen
Affiliation:
Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
P. Hovi
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
A.-L. Järvenpää
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
J. G. Eriksson
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Vasa Central Hospital, Vasa, Finland Unit of General Practice, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland Folkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland
S. Andersson
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
E. Kajantie
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
*
Address for correspondence: K. Räikkönen, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. (Email katri.raikkonen@helsinki.fi)
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Abstract

Early attachment relationships from infancy onward contribute to attachment patterns later in life, to the ability to build up close relationships and to well-being in general. Severely preterm birth may challenge the development of these attachment relationships. We studied whether there are differences in attachment patterns related to romantic relationships between young adults (mean age 22.4 years, s.d. 2.2 years) with very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g; n = 162) and their peers born at term (n = 172), who completed the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire – Revised. Young adults born at VLBW showed lower attachment-related anxiety than their peers born at term (mean difference −9.5%, 95% CI −16.0 to −2.6) when adjusted for sex, age, parental education and being in a romantic relationship currently. The groups did not differ in attachment-related avoidance. In subgroup analyses, the VLBW women born small for gestational age (SGA, birth weight <−2 s.d.) scored on average 14.8% (95% CI 3.1–26.6) higher than the control women on attachment avoidance. The effects remained after the exclusion of 18 participants with neurosensory deficits. We found no evidence for a compromised attachment pattern in young adults born at VLBW, with a possible exception of women born SGA at VLBW. VLBW adults were rather characterized by a lower level of attachment-related anxiety.

Keywords

adulthoodattachmentprematurityvery low birth weight
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 1 , Issue 4 , August 2010 , pp. 271 - 278
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2010

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