Deneault, Audrey-AnnBureau, Jean-FrançoisYurkowski, KimMoss, Ellen2021-09-092021-09-092019-03-15Deneault, A. A., Bureau, J. F., Yurkowski, K., Moss, E. (2019). Validation of the preschool attachment rating scales with child-mother and child-father dyads, Attachment and Human Development, 22(5), 491-513. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2019.15895461461-67341469-2988http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113837https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/43673Growing evidence points to the theoretical and statistical advantages of continuous (rather than categorical) assessments of child-caregiver attachment. The Preschool Attachment Rating Scales (PARS) is a continuous coding system to assess preschool attachment that is complementary to the categorical MacArthur Preschool Attachment Coding System (PACS). The current study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the PARS to measure both child-mother and child-father attachment during the preschool period. Participants included 144 preschool-aged children (M = 46.89 months, SD = 8.77; 83 girls) and their parents. Results support the reliability and validity of the PARS: good inter-rater reliability, expected associations between scales, convergence with the PACS, and association with parental sensitivity and child externalizing problems. These findings support the application of continuous assessments of child-caregiver attachment in the preschool years. They also align with previous work on child-mother attachment, and present avenues for future research on child-father attachment.engThis is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in Attachment and Human Development [Deneault, A. A., Bureau, J. F., Yurkowski, K., Moss, E. (2019). Validation of the preschool attachment rating scales with child-mother and child-father dyads, Attachment and Human Development, 22(5), 491-513. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2019.1589546]. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.preschool periodchild-father attachmentchild-mother attachmentvaliditycontinuous scalesjournal article410-2009-0724http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2019.1589546