The Role of Grandparents in the Repairing or Damaging of Attachment Security of Children of Avoidant Insecurely Attached: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was investigate the role of grandparents in the repairing or damaging of attachment security of avoidant insecure attached children. The present study was in terms of purpose applied and in terms of implementation method was qualitative. The research population was educators and children of center of intellectual development of children and adolescents of Tehran city, which from them 8 educators and 100 children were selected as a sample according to the principle of theoretical saturation and with the purposeful sampling method. The educators were subjected to a semi-structured interview and the children answered to the questionnaire of attachment styles classification and researcher-made questionnaire of mental representations of attachment relationships in middle childhood. The data of this study were analyzed by thematic analysis and frequency and frequency percentage methods. The results of thematic analysis showed that for attachment security of avoidant insecure attached children were identified 6 dimensions and 10 components; So that the dimensions were included of form of expression of feelings (with two components of normalization of the event and indifference or doubt), form of physical emotions (with one component of separating the feeling from the event), coherence in expression (with two components of shortness of expression and avoiding accountability), interaction with person (with one component of recklessness along with sensory detachment), form of expression of event (with one component of generalization and brevity) and facing whit the conflict (with three components of avoiding the event or escaping from the situation, open ending/making up and focusing on the consequences of the decision instead of understanding the problem). The results of frequency and frequency percentage indicated the examination of the mentioned 10 components based on 7 narratives including guests, keys, stores, strangers, paintings, bullies and picnics, which showed that grandparents played a small role in repairing or damaging of attachment security of avoidant insecure attached children. Therefore, by providing appropriate and practical training workshops can be improved the role of grandparents in the repairing of attachment security of avoidant insecure attached children.