Abstract:

Attachment is a basic bond that develops between the primary caregiver and the child. One cognitive ability that is particularly likely to be associated with attachment is 'theory of mind'. The study aims to investigate whether the attachment styles of children in the Children's Houses Coordination Center Directorate (CHCCD) are similar to those of children in family and to evaluate the relationship between children's attachment styles and theory of mind skills. The current study was included 54 children staying in CHCCD (institutional group), 33 children staying with family (control group), and 34 children staying with family who were admitted to a psychiatry outpatient (outpatient group). Children and adolescents participating in the study were administered Reading The Mind in the Eyes test and the Faux Pas test to evaluate their theory of mind skills, and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire to determine their attachment style. Secure attachment rates were 27.3%, 22.2%, and 5.9% in the control, institution and outpatient group, respectively; a significant difference was found between the control group and outpatient group (p=0.011). When the attachment style of the children staying in the institution is examined according to the reasons for being taken into institutional care, anxious attachment was the most common in children who stayed in the institution due to abuse (36.4%), and avoidant attachment was most common in those who stayed in the institution without abuse (55.6%) (p=0.018). The secure attachment rate in girls (14%) was found to be lower than in boys (31.4%) (p=0.040). No significant difference was observed between attachment styles and Faux Pas test scores (p>0.05). The current study has shown how important the characteristics of institutional care for the child are. It is a considerable finding that children staying in CHCCD, where there are with fixed caregivers in each house, have a secure attachment rate close to children staying with family.

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