Attachment theory: progress and future directions

R M Pasco Fearon; Glenn I Roisman

doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.002

Attachment theory: progress and future directions

Curr Opin Psychol. 2017 Jun:15:131-136. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.002. Epub 2017 Mar 8.

Authors

R M Pasco Fearon¹, Glenn I Roisman²

Affiliations

¹ Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. Electronic address: p.fearon@ucl.ac.uk.
² University of Minnesota, United States.

PMID: 28813253
DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.002

Abstract

Attachment is a key subfield in the area of parenting and parent-child relationships research. In this brief overview, we summarise what we consider to be the state-of-the-art of attachment research, focusing primarily on the nature and significance of attachment in infancy and early childhood. We review 4 major topics that are central issues in the scientific literature on attachment: (1) the role of the environment in the development of attachment, (2) the intergenerational transmission of patterns of attachment, (3) the stability of attachment patterns through early adulthood, and (4) the role of attachment in adjustment and maladjustment. We conclude by highlighting several critical unresolved issues and priorities for future research.

Publication types

Review