Abstract
A semi-structured interview has been devised by Smith & McCarthy (1996), in order to examine the nature and impact of attachment in adults with learning disabilities. In the current study, twenty adults with learning disabilities, who had experienced separation from their families in childhood, completed the self-report measure of attachment, along with a self-esteem questionnaire and a brief measure of intellectual functioning. Participants’ keyworkers also completed the attachment measure, along with an assessment of interpersonal skills, with regard to the participant with learning disabilities. A comparison was made between mean attachment scores in the current sample and the group interviewed by Smith & McCarthy (1996). There was no significant difference in mean attachment scores. Mean scores in the current sample were higher than expected. There was no relationship between age of separation from families and attachment security. Overall, there was some evidence of the expected associations between attachment and both self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. However, correlations were not significant. An insignificant negative relationship between attachment and intellectual functioning was found. Participant and keyworker responses were not strongly associated. A trend towards a positive correlation between attachment scores over time was detected. The results did not provide robust evidence of reliability and validity for the attachment measure, meaning that the interview is not yet appropriate for wider use as an assessment tool. The outcomes of statistical analyses and limited qualitative information are discussed with regard to the current attachment literature. It is suggested that emerging research methodologies may prove more appropriate for investigating the psychosocial lives of people with learning disabilities.