The role of attachment on the relationship between trauma and self-regulation among justice-involved youth

Shelley, Lillyan

Publication

The role of attachment on the relationship between trauma and self-regulation among justice-involved youth

Shelley, Lillyan

Date

2022-07-19

Abstract

This pilot study examined whether aspects of the youth-caregiver attachment relationship influenced the degree to which trauma is associated with self-regulation within the vulnerable population of juvenile-justice involved youth. Data utilized in the current study was from an ongoing 5-year longitudinal project. Correlation, simple linear regression, and moderated regression analyses were used to address relationships among the four factors. Results indicated a significant positive association between trauma and emotion dysregulation, and that anxious attachment moderated this relationship. No relationship was found between trauma and executive function, or between insecure attachment styles and executive function. Results of this study provide preliminary evidence of how attachment influences the association between trauma and emotion dysregulation. As the findings from this study indicate attachment as potential underlying mechanisms of self-regulation, these results are informative for interventions targeting positive change in self-regulation within the population of justice involved youth.