Past domestic helper-child and parent-child and attachment as predictors of adult attachment

Abstract

Many families in Hong Kong hire domestic helpers to elevate child care stress; however, limited is known regarding how such a unique phenomenon may influence the children’s later development. This study aimed to investigate whether past domestic helper-child attachment predicts adult attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction. In addition, the issue of whether past domestic helper-attachment correlates to emotion regulation and self-esteem is explored. Furthermore, factors contributing to domestic helper-child relationship were examined. Using an internet survey design, this study collected a sample of 202 participants (132 females and 70 males) and found that domestic helper-child attachment was related to adult attachment and partially related to current relationship satisfaction after controlling mother-child attachment and father-child attachment. The study showed that having a more secure domestic helper-child attachment predicted a more secure adult attachment. In addition, domestic helper-child relationship was related to current relationship closeness, indicating that a more secure domestic helper-child relationship led to closer romantic relationship. Furthermore, both the domestic helper’s length of employment and mother-child attachment were positively related to domestic helper-child attachment. However, for emotion regulation and self-esteem, the results showed that only father-child attachment and not domestic helper-child was a significant predictor. The implications of the results were discussed.