Abstract

The aim of the research is to evaluate the representations of attachment of 40 adopted adolescents (age 13-24 years, mean 16.5 years) and their parents, in order to: (a) assess the quality of attachment representations in a population of adolescents at risk, (b) verify the intergenerational transmission of attachment in adoptive families, with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI, George, Kaplan, Main, 1985). In line with research data on adolescents, the results highlight the prevalence of Dismissing attachment (55.5%) and the low presence of Secure-Free attachment (22.5%); when we consider the four attachments' categories, the data emphasizes the high presence of attachment Unresolved with respect to Trauma and/or Loss (22.5%). No any significant association emerges with respect to model of attachment between parents and adoptive sons.