Validity of the School-age Assessment of Attachment for moderate-risk, rural early adolescents.

Introduction: This study provides evidence of validity of the School-age Assessment of Attachment (SAA) through longitudinal comparison with the Preschool Assessment of Attachment (PAA) and with concurrent attachment assessments and measures of risk and parenting. Determining which assessment had the greatest validity with this moderate-risk sample would be of benefit to those working with troubled young people and their families.

Hypotheses: Children's SAA classifications were expected to correspond to their PAA, a behavioral attachment assessment, parenting, and risk.