Impact of attachment style on representation of death in children

Mourning is a complex process, especially for children who integrate the loss with different emotions and cognitions than adults (Webb, 2011). In case of loss they show depressive symptoms, anxiety, learning disabilities, but only a few studies are focused on interventions in these cases (Cohen e Mannarino, 2004). According to attachment theory, resolution of grief in children is linked to the relationship with the deceased person, relationships with others and the attachment style (Bowlby, 1980). The analysis of behavioral and emotional strategies used in situations of temporary separation from caregivers is relevant to under-stand the reactions in cases of actual loss, but the literature is poor (Waskowic & Chartier, 2003). The present study aims to assess the impact of attachment on the representation of death in children of school-age. Participants: 100 children (49 M; average age=8.02, SD=1.26), divided after SAT (Attili 2001) application in: 51% with secure attachment, 24% anxious-ambivalent; 19% avoidant; 6% disorganized. The children were asked to complete the tale of funeral of Duss (1949) and the narratives were coded by two independent judges (agreement=.84) with a grid based on the literature, divided in 8 categories (articulation of narrative, emotional content, reflective capacity, locus of control, spatial and temporal em-bedding, action, image of self and of others). Anova analysis show that secure children narratives are richer in reflective capacity, images of others that help, direct interaction with fewer self blame. Avoidant children produce more details of context and fewer references to emotions; anxious-ambivalent children produce more negative references of self and anxiety and they focus more on self than on contest. Disorganized children produce shorter narratives, focused on past, with more references about distress and violent deaths.