ABSTRACT
Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1973, 1980) is concerned about the ways that early relationships with primary caregivers contribute to the development of one’s personality, adaptation, and emotional well-being. Attachment is conceptualized as a biobehavioral system designed to promote proximity with the caregivers in times of stress, in such a
way as to optimize emotional regulation (Sroufe, 1988). Research over the past three decades has provided strong support for Bowlby’s original hypotheses. Attachment has been linked to a wide variety of outcomes and appears to influence functioning in many areas, including cognitive, social, and emotional development, in both adults and children (Main, 1995; Thompson, 1999). The link between internal representations of attachment figures and relationships and various forms of psychopathology in adults is well established (see review by Dozier, Stovall, & Albus, 1999). In addition, several papers have been published in recent years that describe clinical applications of attachment theory with a range of populations and problems (Eagle, 1997; Fonagy et al., 1996).
