Attachment in adoptees and non-adoptees from infancy to young adulthood: the Greek Metera study

Children in institutions often develop insecure attachments. Although recovery is observed in childhood and adolescence, evidence in adulthood is limited. This pre-registered study compared adoptees with institutional experience and non-adoptees from infancy to adulthood. Attachment was assessed in infancy (Strange Situation), preschool (Attachment Story Completion Task and Attachment Q-Sort), adolescence (Child Attachment Interview), and adulthood (Adult Attachment Interview; AAI). Adoptees at age 24 exhibited higher rates of insecurity (60% vs 31%) and lower coherence on the AAI compared to non-adoptees (Cohen’s d = 0.51). Stressful life events predicted insecurity in adulthood (β = −0.33, p = .005). Disorganized attachment in infancy did not predict attachment insecurity in adulthood (OR = 1.32, 95% CI [0.47, 3.70]). Attachment catch-up appears incomplete for some adult adoptees with early institutional experience, particularly following serious stressful life events, highlighting the need to consider both early adversity and ongoing environmental stress in understanding adult attachment outcomes.