Out of sight is not out of mind: Associations between perceived maternal attachment and self-representations of youth in residential care moderated by gender and age

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the associations between perceived maternal attachment and self-representations of youth in residential care (RC), considering the potential moderator role of youth’s sex and age and the potential concurrent effect of frequency and type of family visits and length of time in RC. To this end, a sample of 659 youth aged 11–18 (M = 15.65, SD = 1.72) from RC settings filled out self-report questionnaires to evaluate their perceptions of maternal attachment and self-representations. Results indicated that lower perceived maternal attachment was associated with higher levels of global negative self-representations. Moreover, compared to young men, young women with lower levels of perceived maternal attachment perceived themselves as having more negative self-representations. No moderating effects of age were found. This study contributes to the literature in the field of RC with evidence regarding the association of perceived maternal attachment with self-representations and the moderating role of youth’s sex, which informs the development of interventions with this vulnerable population.