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From Mother-Child Attachment Security in Toddlerhood to Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Moderating Role of Child Temperamental Fearfulness

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Title: From Mother-Child Attachment Security in Toddlerhood to Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Moderating Role of Child Temperamental Fearfulness
Language: English
Authors: Rose L. Thériault, Gabrielle Leclerc, Miriam H. Beauchamp, Annie Bernier (ORCID 0000-0002-2359-9808)
Source: Social Development. 2026 35(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Mothers, Parent Child Relationship, Attachment Behavior, Toddlers, Adolescents, Moral Development, Moral Values, Fear, Longitudinal Studies, Personality Traits, Foreign Countries, Security (Psychology), Child Development, Adolescent Development
Geographic Terms: Canada
DOI: 10.1111/sode.70060
ISSN: 0961-205X
1467-9507
Abstract: Several studies suggest that parent-child relationship quality interacts with child fearful temperament in predicting early stages of moral development. However, less is known about these interactive effects in relation to developmentally advanced moral constructs that are salient in adolescence, such as moral reasoning. This longitudinal study examined the prospective association between mother-child attachment security in early childhood and moral reasoning in adolescence, and whether this association was moderated by child temperamental fearfulness. The sample consisted of 93 Canadian mother-child dyads. When children were aged 15 and 25 months, mother-child attachment security was assessed using an observational measure at home. Mothers reported on children's temperamental fearfulness when they were aged 3 years. When participants were aged 16 years, their moral reasoning was assessed using a visual task presenting everyday socio-moral conflicts. A moderation analysis conducted in a structural equation modeling framework suggested that mother-child attachment security predicted more mature moral reasoning. Furthermore, a significant interaction was found, revealing that the association between mother-child attachment security and adolescent moral reasoning was positive and significant at low and mean levels of child fearfulness, but not at high levels. Consistent with a dual-risk pattern, the adolescents who showed the least mature moral reasoning were those who, as toddlers, had the most insecure attachments to their mother and the least fearful temperaments. These findings highlight that secure mother-child attachment in toddlerhood has implications for moral reasoning into adolescence and in particular, could protect temperamentally fearless children against poor moral development.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504136
Database: ERIC
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  Data: From Mother-Child Attachment Security in Toddlerhood to Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Moderating Role of Child Temperamental Fearfulness
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rose+L%2E+Thériault%22">Rose L. Thériault</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gabrielle+Leclerc%22">Gabrielle Leclerc</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miriam+H%2E+Beauchamp%22">Miriam H. Beauchamp</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annie+Bernier%22">Annie Bernier</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2359-9808">0000-0002-2359-9808</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Social+Development%22"><i>Social Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 35(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 11
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attachment+Behavior%22">Attachment Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toddlers%22">Toddlers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Moral+Development%22">Moral Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Moral+Values%22">Moral Values</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fear%22">Fear</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+Studies%22">Longitudinal Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personality+Traits%22">Personality Traits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Security+%28Psychology%29%22">Security (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescent+Development%22">Adolescent Development</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/sode.70060
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  Data: 0961-205X<br />1467-9507
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Several studies suggest that parent-child relationship quality interacts with child fearful temperament in predicting early stages of moral development. However, less is known about these interactive effects in relation to developmentally advanced moral constructs that are salient in adolescence, such as moral reasoning. This longitudinal study examined the prospective association between mother-child attachment security in early childhood and moral reasoning in adolescence, and whether this association was moderated by child temperamental fearfulness. The sample consisted of 93 Canadian mother-child dyads. When children were aged 15 and 25 months, mother-child attachment security was assessed using an observational measure at home. Mothers reported on children's temperamental fearfulness when they were aged 3 years. When participants were aged 16 years, their moral reasoning was assessed using a visual task presenting everyday socio-moral conflicts. A moderation analysis conducted in a structural equation modeling framework suggested that mother-child attachment security predicted more mature moral reasoning. Furthermore, a significant interaction was found, revealing that the association between mother-child attachment security and adolescent moral reasoning was positive and significant at low and mean levels of child fearfulness, but not at high levels. Consistent with a dual-risk pattern, the adolescents who showed the least mature moral reasoning were those who, as toddlers, had the most insecure attachments to their mother and the least fearful temperaments. These findings highlight that secure mother-child attachment in toddlerhood has implications for moral reasoning into adolescence and in particular, could protect temperamentally fearless children against poor moral development.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1504136
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/sode.70060
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attachment Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Toddlers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Moral Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Moral Values
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Longitudinal Studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Personality Traits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Security (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescent Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: From Mother-Child Attachment Security in Toddlerhood to Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Moderating Role of Child Temperamental Fearfulness
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            NameFull: Rose L. Thériault
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            NameFull: Gabrielle Leclerc
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            NameFull: Miriam H. Beauchamp
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            NameFull: Annie Bernier
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              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0961-205X
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              Value: 1467-9507
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              Value: 35
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            – TitleFull: Social Development
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