Lauren Earls - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Lauren Earls

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Adult Attachment in the Experience of Trauma Among Survivors of Early Interpersonal Abuse

Research paper thumbnail of The relationships among trauma exposure, attachment, emotional reactivity, and PTSD

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between personality and adult attachment

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

American Psychological Association eBooks, Feb 7, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & Human Development, Oct 16, 2014

There is growing evidence that 'secure-base scripts' (Waters & Waters, 2006) are an important par... more There is growing evidence that 'secure-base scripts' (Waters & Waters, 2006) are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachmentoriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form (Slade, Aber, Berger, Bresgi, & Kaplan, 2003). Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant associations remained after controlling for family income and maternal age. Findings suggest that assessing secure base scripts among mothers known to be at risk for parenting difficulties may be important for interventions aimed at altering problematic parental representations and caregiving behavior.

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between adult attachment and trauma

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpe... more Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance (i.e., insecurity-security) may have in understanding these associations was also investigated. This study also examined the associations between secure base scripts, or cognitive structures thought to underlie internal working models of attachment established early in life, and attachment-related traumas, the adult romantic attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, and complex trauma outcomes. Results of this study indicated that attachment-related traumas were associated with adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance and complex trauma outcomes, and that adult romantic attachment insecurity-security may be an important mechanism by which early attachment-related traumas influence later complex trauma outcomes. In addition, while results indicated a significant relationship between the two types of secure base scripts, findings revealed no relationship between secure base scriptedness and attachment-related traumas or adult romantic attachment insecurity-security. Finally, both types of secure base scriptedness were related to a self-report measure of trauma-related cognitions. Implications of study findings are discussed in light of previous literature and attachment and trauma theories.

Research paper thumbnail of Quality of parental relationships among persons with a lifetime history of posttraumatic stress disorder

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of The relationships among trauma exposure, attachment, emotional reactivity, and PTSD

Research paper thumbnail of An Evidence-Based Neurotrauma Case Management Model for Post-Discharge Community-Based Service Provision

Disclosure: None declared. Objective: To use focus group findings and best-practice evidence from... more Disclosure: None declared. Objective: To use focus group findings and best-practice evidence from the mental health literature to develop a community-based model of neurotrauma case management. Design: Evidence-based targeted literature search plus focus group sessions. Setting: Not applicable. Participants: 56 adults in 6 focus groups: acquired brain injury clients, acquired brain injury (ABI) family members, spinal cord– injured clients, spinal cord injury (SCI) family members, publicly funded service providers, privately funded service providers. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Hierarchy of levels of rigor of evidence-based research studies as measure of best-practice evidence. NUDIST analysis of focus group major themes and their confirmation of the research evidence. List of endorsed model key elements. Results: A total of 313 case management research studies were categorized by level (strength) of evidence as to their model effectiveness. Fourteen key mod...

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Adult Attachment in the Experience of Trauma Among Survivors of Early Interpersonal Abuse

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

How intimate partner violence affects children: Developmental research, case studies, and evidence-based intervention.

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between personality and adult attachment

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

How intimate partner violence affects children: Developmental research, case studies, and evidence-based intervention., 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Quality of parental relationships among persons with a lifetime history of posttraumatic stress disorder

Journal of Traumatic Stress, Apr 1, 2007

Several studies of combat veterans have examined the relationship between parental satisfaction a... more Several studies of combat veterans have examined the relationship between parental satisfaction and PTSD symptoms. These studies found that numbing is associated with substantial decrements in parent-child relationship quality. The current study extends previous work by assessing the effect of PTSD on parent-child relationships in a nationally representative sample of civilian men and women with PTSD resulting from a broad range of trauma. It was hypothesized that PTSD avoidance/numbing symptoms would be predictive of parent-child relationship quality and parent-child conflict. Moreover, these relationships are predicted to hold after controlling for a broad range of support-related variables and work/finance related variables. As hypothesized, after controlling for number of children and respondent-initiated domestic violence, numbing was predictive of increased parent-child aggression.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Adult Attachment and Trauma

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpe... more Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance (i.e., insecurity-security) may have in understanding these associations was also investigated. This study also examined the associations between secure base scripts, or cognitive structures thought to underlie internal working models of attachment established early in life, and attachment-related traumas, the adult romantic attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, and complex trauma outcomes. Results of this study indicated that attachment-related traumas were associated with adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance and complex trauma outcomes, and that adult romantic attachment insecurity-security may be an important mechanism by which early attachment-related traumas influence later complex trauma outcomes. In addition, while results indicated a significant relationship between the two types of secure base scripts, findings revealed no relationship between secure base scriptedness and attachment-related traumas or adult romantic attachment insecurity-security. Finally, both types of secure base scriptedness were related to a self-report measure of trauma-related cognitions. Implications of study findings are discussed in light of previous literature and attachment and trauma theories.

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & human development, 2014

There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cogni... more There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachment-oriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form. Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant...

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & Human Development, 2014

There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive under... more There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachment-oriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form. Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant associations remained after controlling for family income and maternal age. Findings suggest that assessing secure base scripts among mothers known to be at risk for parenting difficulties may be important for interventions aimed at altering problematic parental representations and caregiving behavior.

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Adult Attachment in the Experience of Trauma Among Survivors of Early Interpersonal Abuse

Research paper thumbnail of The relationships among trauma exposure, attachment, emotional reactivity, and PTSD

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between personality and adult attachment

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

American Psychological Association eBooks, Feb 7, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & Human Development, Oct 16, 2014

There is growing evidence that 'secure-base scripts' (Waters & Waters, 2006) are an important par... more There is growing evidence that 'secure-base scripts' (Waters & Waters, 2006) are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachmentoriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form (Slade, Aber, Berger, Bresgi, & Kaplan, 2003). Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant associations remained after controlling for family income and maternal age. Findings suggest that assessing secure base scripts among mothers known to be at risk for parenting difficulties may be important for interventions aimed at altering problematic parental representations and caregiving behavior.

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between adult attachment and trauma

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpe... more Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance (i.e., insecurity-security) may have in understanding these associations was also investigated. This study also examined the associations between secure base scripts, or cognitive structures thought to underlie internal working models of attachment established early in life, and attachment-related traumas, the adult romantic attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, and complex trauma outcomes. Results of this study indicated that attachment-related traumas were associated with adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance and complex trauma outcomes, and that adult romantic attachment insecurity-security may be an important mechanism by which early attachment-related traumas influence later complex trauma outcomes. In addition, while results indicated a significant relationship between the two types of secure base scripts, findings revealed no relationship between secure base scriptedness and attachment-related traumas or adult romantic attachment insecurity-security. Finally, both types of secure base scriptedness were related to a self-report measure of trauma-related cognitions. Implications of study findings are discussed in light of previous literature and attachment and trauma theories.

Research paper thumbnail of Quality of parental relationships among persons with a lifetime history of posttraumatic stress disorder

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of The relationships among trauma exposure, attachment, emotional reactivity, and PTSD

Research paper thumbnail of An Evidence-Based Neurotrauma Case Management Model for Post-Discharge Community-Based Service Provision

Disclosure: None declared. Objective: To use focus group findings and best-practice evidence from... more Disclosure: None declared. Objective: To use focus group findings and best-practice evidence from the mental health literature to develop a community-based model of neurotrauma case management. Design: Evidence-based targeted literature search plus focus group sessions. Setting: Not applicable. Participants: 56 adults in 6 focus groups: acquired brain injury clients, acquired brain injury (ABI) family members, spinal cord– injured clients, spinal cord injury (SCI) family members, publicly funded service providers, privately funded service providers. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Hierarchy of levels of rigor of evidence-based research studies as measure of best-practice evidence. NUDIST analysis of focus group major themes and their confirmation of the research evidence. List of endorsed model key elements. Results: A total of 313 case management research studies were categorized by level (strength) of evidence as to their model effectiveness. Fourteen key mod...

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Adult Attachment in the Experience of Trauma Among Survivors of Early Interpersonal Abuse

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

How intimate partner violence affects children: Developmental research, case studies, and evidence-based intervention.

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between personality and adult attachment

Research paper thumbnail of Infant–parent relationship disturbance in the context of intimate partner violence: A clinical case study of James

How intimate partner violence affects children: Developmental research, case studies, and evidence-based intervention., 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Quality of parental relationships among persons with a lifetime history of posttraumatic stress disorder

Journal of Traumatic Stress, Apr 1, 2007

Several studies of combat veterans have examined the relationship between parental satisfaction a... more Several studies of combat veterans have examined the relationship between parental satisfaction and PTSD symptoms. These studies found that numbing is associated with substantial decrements in parent-child relationship quality. The current study extends previous work by assessing the effect of PTSD on parent-child relationships in a nationally representative sample of civilian men and women with PTSD resulting from a broad range of trauma. It was hypothesized that PTSD avoidance/numbing symptoms would be predictive of parent-child relationship quality and parent-child conflict. Moreover, these relationships are predicted to hold after controlling for a broad range of support-related variables and work/finance related variables. As hypothesized, after controlling for number of children and respondent-initiated domestic violence, numbing was predictive of increased parent-child aggression.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Adult Attachment and Trauma

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpe... more Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance (i.e., insecurity-security) may have in understanding these associations was also investigated. This study also examined the associations between secure base scripts, or cognitive structures thought to underlie internal working models of attachment established early in life, and attachment-related traumas, the adult romantic attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, and complex trauma outcomes. Results of this study indicated that attachment-related traumas were associated with adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance and complex trauma outcomes, and that adult romantic attachment insecurity-security may be an important mechanism by which early attachment-related traumas influence later complex trauma outcomes. In addition, while results indicated a significant relationship between the two types of secure base scripts, findings revealed no relationship between secure base scriptedness and attachment-related traumas or adult romantic attachment insecurity-security. Finally, both types of secure base scriptedness were related to a self-report measure of trauma-related cognitions. Implications of study findings are discussed in light of previous literature and attachment and trauma theories.

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & human development, 2014

There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cogni... more There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachment-oriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form. Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant...

Research paper thumbnail of Secure base scripts are associated with maternal parenting behavior across contexts and reflective functioning among trauma-exposed mothers

Attachment & Human Development, 2014

There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive under... more There is growing evidence that "secure-base scripts" are an important part of the cognitive underpinnings of internal working models of attachment. Recent research in middle class samples has shown that secure-base scripts are linked to maternal attachment-oriented behavior and child outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of secure base scripts in higher-risk samples. Participants in the current study included 115 mothers who were oversampled for childhood maltreatment and their infants. Results revealed that a higher level of secure base scriptedness was significantly related to more positive and less negative maternal parenting in both unstructured free play and structured teaching contexts, and to higher reflective functioning scores on the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short Form. Associations with parent-child secure base scripts, specifically, indicate some level of relationship-specificity in attachment scripts. Many, but not all, significant associations remained after controlling for family income and maternal age. Findings suggest that assessing secure base scripts among mothers known to be at risk for parenting difficulties may be important for interventions aimed at altering problematic parental representations and caregiving behavior.