Construct and Criterion Validity Evidences of the Massie-Campbell Scale of Attachment During Stress (ADS)

• Main Authors: Magaly Nóblega, Gabriela Conde, Juan Nuñez del Prado, Patricia Bárrig, Francesco Marinelli, Natali Alcantara, Rodrigo Cárcamo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Católica de Colombia 2019-01-01
• Series: Acta Colombiana de Psicología
• Subjects: Apego, escala Massie-Campbell, ADS, validez.
• Online Access: https://editorial.ucatolica.edu.co/ojsucatolica/revistas_ucatolica/index.php/acta-colombiana-psicologia/article/view/1358

<p>The Massie-Campbell Attachment During Stress Scale (ADS, Massie &amp; Campbell, 1983) is an observation guide of the interactions between mothers (or caretakers) and children from 6 to 18 months. This study sought the construct validity (convergent and discriminant) of ADS, as well as its criterion validity (sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values). To that end, child attachment was measured in a group of 32 children aged 8 to 10 months from Lima, Peru using ADS and Attachment Q-set 3.0 (AQS, Waters, 1995). Maternal sensitivity was assessed as well. It was found that ADS attachment classifications were related to AQS attachment security continuous scores (<em>r </em>= .41, <em>p </em>= .02) and to its dichotomous classifications [secure vs. insecure; χ2 (1, <em>N </em>= 32) = 4.69, <em>p </em>= 0.03, <em>d </em>= 0.83]. Additionally, no significant differences between the ADS’s maternal sensitivity of mothers with children classified as <em>secure </em>and mothers with children classified as <em>insecure </em>were found. Since ADS´s sensitivity did not reach satisfactory levels (33.3 %, 95 % CI = [15.48, 56.90]), a cut-off point of 5 secure behaviors was used, which improved its sensitivity (47.6 %, 95 % CI = [26.4; 69.7]) while maintaining satisfactory levels of specificity (90.9 %, 95 % CI = [57.1; 99.5]). The instrument shows adequate convergent validity but lacks evidence of discriminant validity. Further exploration of ADS’s sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values is recommended in order to obtain a cut-off point with greater validity, given that the instrument is considered a screening test.</p>