Associations of attachment orientation with early generative concern across adolescence.

OBJECTIVE: Researchers have begun to find evidence that generativity, defined as concern for future generations as a legacy of the self, has relevance prior to midlife. Examination of predictors of generativity in adolescence contributes to an overall model of positive development in youth. Bowlby's theory of attachment, a well-established framework for understanding close relationships, was applied in this study of how adolescents' approach to close relationships predicts early generativity. METHOD: Approximately 190 adolescents (Mage = 15) completed self-report measures of attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and generativity across a 4-year period. Additionally, a subsample of 73 adolescents completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). RESULTS: Results indicate a transactional relationship whereby self-reported avoidance of closeness and generativity were negatively related across time. AAI dismissing attachment was negatively associated with generativity only for female participants. CONCLUSION: These findings support Erikson's original psychosocial theory highlighting the importance of intimate relationships in developing the capacity to care for future generations.

The association between early generative concern and caregiving with friends from early to middle adolescence.

Generativity, defined as concern for future generations, is theorized to become a priority in midlife, preceded by a stage in which intimacy is the central issue. Recent research, however, has found evidence of generativity even in adolescence. This longitudinal study explored the associations between caregiving in friendships, closely related to intimacy, and early generative concern in a young adolescent sample. Given the importance of close friendships in adolescence, it was hypothesized that responsive caregiving in early adolescent friendships would predict later generative concern. Approximately 140 adolescents (56 % female, aged 14 at Time 1) completed questionnaires regarding generative concern and responsive caregiving with friends yearly across 2 years. Structural equation modeling revealed that caregiving predicted generative concern 1 year later but generative concern did not predict later caregiving. These results suggest that caregiving in close friendships plays an important role in the development of adolescents' motivation to contribute to future generations.