Newly published: Attachment theory in practice
Over the past 50 years, attachment theory has provided important insights into the significance of caregiving relationships for children’s development. At the same time, the theory can be difficult to apply in clinical work with parents and young children, and an excessive focus on attachment patterns risks leading to misconceptions and misinterpretations.
A new expert-led research review summarizes current knowledge on attachment and provides guidance on how the theory can be applied in practice, with a focus on strengthening children’s caregiving relationships rather than getting stuck in categorical labels. The article is published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (JCPP) and is aimed at professionals working in child and family-focused treatment. The study was conducted by researchers from Stockholm University, among others, in collaboration with some fifty international experts in the field.
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The article discusses attachment quality, such as secure and insecure attachment – what is commonly referred to as attachment patterns and attributed to an individuals. However, attachment quality in infants and young children is a characteristic of their relationships with the caregivers, not of the child themselves. Children typically develop multiple attachment relationships, which may vary in quality but are all important for the child’s development.
The researchers also debunk some common misconceptions: attachment patterns are not fixed for life, insecure attachment is not the same as mental health issues, and disorganized attachment is not a reliable indicator that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect.
THE STUDY IN SHORT
This study is a systematic review based on previous research, particularly meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It was conducted by a large group of researchers in fields such as psychiatry, developmental psychology, and social work. The aim is to summarize current knowledge about attachment and provide guidance on how the theory can be applied in clinical work with young children and their parents.
Key findings:
- Attachment quality in young and infant children refers to caregiving relationships, not the child’s traits.
- Insecure attachment is not the same as mental health issues.
- Classifications of attachment quality have limited value in work with children and parents.
- Support to parents, particularly to strengthen parental sensitivity, is central.
- Several interventions have strong research support and can strengthen both parents’ sensitivity and children’s attachment security.
Professionals are encouraged to develop their ability to understand and observe the interaction between children and parents. Rather than focusing on classifications, the importance of supporting parents in responding sensitively to their child’s needs is emphasized in order to increase children’s attachment security. The researchers therefore highlight qualified support for parents with caregiving difficulties as a priority intervention.
Mårten Hammarlund, a researcher at the Department of Psychology, is one of the co-authors of the article.
What is the most important takeaway from this study that you would like to share with professionals, and perhaps with the general public?
– That attachment theory is a very important theory in developmental psychology, with a strong evidence base and substantial clinical value – but that this value does not primarily lie in attempting to classify children’s attachment quality. An excessive focus on attachment quality may instead lead to typological thinking and schematic conclusions, and obscure the clinician’s understanding of the individual child and their unique relationships with caregivers.
Mårten Hammarlund.
– I would like to encourage clinicians to focus a little less on attachment quality and a little more on delving deeper into the phenomena described by attachment theory, and how these phenomena can manifest themselves in a young child’s relationships with caregivers. Quite simply: to focus a little more on the essence of the theory, quite simply – attachment theory is not primarily a theory of four ‘patterns,’ but a theory of children’s need for close emotional bonds with caregivers; of being seen, comforted, and reassured when they need it, and of being supported by stronger and wiser others as they gradually learn how to master the large and complex world that we all live in.
Last updated: 2026-05-13
Source: Department of Psychology