Transnationale Familienverhältnisse, Verlusterfahrung und Bindungsverhalten

The relationship between separation of children from their parents and later attachment behaviour of adults is the key topic of attachment research (Bowlby 1969, Ainsworth 1985a). The idea that a separation from parents experienced during childhood will influence the general attachment behaviour forms the core thesis of attachment theory. Taking into consideration the special conditions of family migration, the present paper analyses the attachment behaviour of migrants who, in the context of immigration to Germany, temporarily lived in transnational families during their childhood. The paper adds new insights to previous research by focusing on a new aspect: Instead of concentrating on immediate social consequences of migrationrelated parental loss on the child-parent-relationship, the study analyses the marital status of adults part of whom had experienced separation from their parent(s) due to migration during their childhood. Controlling for relevant further variables, the paper investigates the influence of child-parent-separation on attachment behaviour in adulthood.