We are frequently asked…

1. … for permission to use the Peer/Family/History of Attachments Interview
   
   Incorporating an attachment interview into a research design is a considerably more complex undertaking than most people realize, and, in most cases, it is probably not feasible to use the attachment interviews.   It takes about 200 hours to train new coders.  And then, it is necessary for the new coders to establish reliability on a sample of at least 30 interviews before they begin coding their own research sample.  As well, 2 independent coders are required for a substantial subsample of your interviews, and preferably for your entire sample.  For more information contact Dr. Kim Bartholomew.
   
   
2. … for permission to use the RQ and/or the RSQ
   You are welcome to use the RQ and/or the RSQ in your research examining adult attachment relationships. If you require something more formal than this brief web statement, please prepare a letter, ready for signature, containing the information you need and either mail or fax it to:

Dr. Kim Bartholomew
Department of Psychology
8888 University Drive
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC
V5A 1S6
CANADA

Fax: (604) 291-3427

3. … about using the  RQ and/or RSQ with children or adolescent samples
   The four-category model of attachment was developed to describe the attachment characteristics of adult/young adult close peer relationships (Bartholomew, 1990; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991).  The RQ and RSQ  were not designed to assess  the attachments of young children, nor were these measures  designed to assess adults' retrospective childhood attachment to their parents.  However, researchers have revised these measures and created versions to use with adolescent samples.  Dr. Elaine Scharfe at Trent University has adapted these measures for use with an adolescent population. Since the RSQ tends to evidence low internal consistency in both the adult and adolescent versions (see Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994 for a discussion), we suggest if you are using a self-report approach that you collect multiple measures (e.g., IPPA & RSQ) from multiple sources (e.g., child, parent, & teacher).
   
   
4. … about  using the RQ and/or RSQ with specialized populations such as a specific social or ethnic group 
   The four-category model has been validated and applied most extensively to romantic relationships and young adult friendships.  We strongly recommend that when the characteristics of the target population differ from the population on which the model was validated, that the researcher undertake a pilot study to validate the model and measures with the new population.  The researcher can then evaluate the results, and make any necessary changes. (see:  Callander, M.L. (1999).   Validation of a four-category model of attachment in a sample of gay men.)
   
   
5. ... using the RQ and/or RSQ as a categorical measure of adult attachment 
   See RQ and RSQ information above.   To repeat -  the RSQ was NOT designed, nor intended to be used, as a categorical measure of attachment. 
   
   
6. ... about norms, stability, and reliability of the RQ and RSQ
   We do not have normative data for the RQ or the RSQ.  All of the studies conducted in our lab have been done with samples  that are smaller than is necessary for establishing  measurement norms.   Ratings of the four attachment patterns using the RQ  have shown moderate stability over an 8 month test re-test period (Scharfe & Bartholomew, 1994).   With regard to reliability of the measures, brief self-report measures generally are expected to be only moderately reliable (for a discussion of measurement issues see  Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994). If norms and reliability etc. are extremely important to you, we recommend that you consider using one of the longer, more recent attachment measures (e.g., the ECR, Brennan et al., 1998).
   
   
7. ... for permission to translate the attachment measures into another language
   Yes!  Translations are welcomed.  We would appreciate a copy of your translated version.
   
   
8. ... not all of the items in the RSQ are used in creating the four prototype scores
   The additional items in the RSQ can be used to create subscales to assess the attachment dimensions identified by Simpson, Rholes, & Nelligan (1992) and  Collins & Read (1990).  Thus, researchers are able to relate the RSQ to alternate self-report measures of adult attachment.  (see:  Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994). Alternatively, and perhaps preferably, you can use the questionnaire to derive scales of the underlying two dimensions.  This can be done two ways:  1) by conducting a factor analysis of the items  or 2) by using the scores from the four prototype items to create linear combinations representing the self and other-model attachment dimensions. We recommend that you consult the Kurdek (2002) paper in JSPR which recommends the best approach for scoring the measure dimensionally.
   
   
9. ... if these attachment measures can be used to assess attachment to God, other religious figures, groups, pets, objects, etc. 
   The four-category model of attachment was developed to assess adult peer relationships.  Frankly, we do not know if the model, or even the concept of attachment as defined by Bowlby, is appropriate for assessing attachment in non-human non-dyadic relationships.  However, for an example of extending attachment beyond human dyadic relationships, see the work of Lee Kirkpatrick.