View in EDS

Attachment Preferences in Chinese Adolescents: Developing the Chinese Version of the Important People Interview

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Attachment Preferences in Chinese Adolescents: Developing the Chinese Version of the Important People Interview
Language: English
Authors: Yu Xu (ORCID 0000-0002-3001-2307), Tomotaka Umemura (ORCID 0000-0002-1620-6930)
Source: Journal of Early Adolescence. 2026 46(5):725-745.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Attachment Behavior, Test Construction, Adolescents, Test Validity, Preferences, Self Esteem, Depression (Psychology), Psychological Patterns, Friendship, Gender Differences, Parent Child Relationship, Peer Relationship, Age Differences, Translation, Foreign Countries, Chinese
Geographic Terms: China
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale
DOI: 10.1177/02724316251343102
ISSN: 0272-4316
1552-5449
Abstract: Based on Bowlby's conceptualization of the attachment behavioral system, the Important People Interview (IPI) was developed to provide a measurement standard for assessing attachment preference in adolescents. This study utilized a sample of 1374 Chinese adolescents (M[subscript age] = 13.64, SD = 1.49, age range: 11-18 years; females = 48%) to validate the IPI for Chinese adolescents. The confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the IPI fit Chinese adolescents well. Higher preferences for the mother and father as attachment figures were positively associated with self-esteem, whereas lower preferences were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and loneliness. In addition, higher preferences for same-gender friends and opposite-gender friends were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Conversely, the lower preferences for same-gender friends and opposite-gender friends were negatively associated with self-esteem. These findings suggest that higher preferences for parents and lower preferences for peers as attachment figures promote adjustment in both Western and East Asian adolescents.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499988
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1499988
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Attachment Preferences in Chinese Adolescents: Developing the Chinese Version of the Important People Interview
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu+Xu%22">Yu Xu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3001-2307">0000-0002-3001-2307</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tomotaka+Umemura%22">Tomotaka Umemura</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1620-6930">0000-0002-1620-6930</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Early+Adolescence%22"><i>Journal of Early Adolescence</i></searchLink>. 2026 46(5):725-745.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 21
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attachment+Behavior%22">Attachment Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Construction%22">Test Construction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Validity%22">Test Validity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Esteem%22">Self Esteem</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depression+%28Psychology%29%22">Depression (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Friendship%22">Friendship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Translation%22">Translation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chinese%22">Chinese</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Rosenberg+Self+Esteem+Scale%22">Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Center+for+Epidemiologic+Studies+Depression+Scale%22">Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22UCLA+Loneliness+Scale%22">UCLA Loneliness Scale</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/02724316251343102
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0272-4316<br />1552-5449
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Based on Bowlby's conceptualization of the attachment behavioral system, the Important People Interview (IPI) was developed to provide a measurement standard for assessing attachment preference in adolescents. This study utilized a sample of 1374 Chinese adolescents (M[subscript age] = 13.64, SD = 1.49, age range: 11-18 years; females = 48%) to validate the IPI for Chinese adolescents. The confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the IPI fit Chinese adolescents well. Higher preferences for the mother and father as attachment figures were positively associated with self-esteem, whereas lower preferences were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and loneliness. In addition, higher preferences for same-gender friends and opposite-gender friends were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Conversely, the lower preferences for same-gender friends and opposite-gender friends were negatively associated with self-esteem. These findings suggest that higher preferences for parents and lower preferences for peers as attachment figures promote adjustment in both Western and East Asian adolescents.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1499988
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1499988
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/02724316251343102
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 725
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Attachment Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Construction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Validity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preferences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Esteem
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Depression (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Friendship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Translation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chinese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: UCLA Loneliness Scale
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Attachment Preferences in Chinese Adolescents: Developing the Chinese Version of the Important People Interview
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yu Xu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tomotaka Umemura
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0272-4316
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1552-5449
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 46
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Early Adolescence
              Type: main
ResultId 1