concept

attachment security

Also known as: attachment quality

Facts (27)

Sources

Introduction to children's attachment - NCBI - NIH ncbi.nlm.nih.gov National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 14 facts

referenceParent–child psychotherapy or trauma-focused cognitive therapy for both the child and parent may improve parental sensitivity or attachment security in maltreated children and young people, according to Cicchetti et al. (2006) and Cohen et al. (2004).

referenceLong-term stability in attachment security from infancy into late adolescence or adulthood is limited, and later attachment outcomes are related to the quality of familial experiences throughout childhood, such as quality of care, divorce, and parental wellbeing, according to Groh et al. (2014).

claimChildren can form relationships with teachers that possess an attachment quality, providing a sense of safety and security that influences emotional wellbeing and engagement with learning.

claimThe concept of 'earned security' suggests that individual psychotherapy can help a child process experiences with an abusive parent, leading to improved attachment security by enabling the child to speak about the parent in a balanced and coherent way.

referenceTwin studies by Bokhorst et al. (2003) and Roisman & Fraley (2008) have consistently indicated that attachment security in infancy and toddlerhood is almost exclusively influenced by the environment and minimally by genetics.

claimWhile oxytocin administration could theoretically enhance caregiver sensitivity, there have been no studies to date showing that oxytocin use increases attachment security in children.

claimMeta-analyses suggest that children removed from abusive families and placed in foster care can form attachment security with their foster carers that is similar to that of typically raised children, indicating a capacity to form new trusting relationships despite early abuse.

claimMary Ainsworth (1969) identified variation in parental sensitivity as a critical variable in determining a child's attachment security as assessed in procedures like the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP).

claimImproving parenting practices is suggested to lead to greater attachment security and better general outcomes for children, though this process may require more time and support for older or traumatized children and relies on stable placements with high parental sensitivity.

claimThe efficacy of individual psychotherapy for improving attachment security in children who have experienced abuse remains untested and of uncertain value.

claimParenting programs specifically designed for foster carers that are based on evidence-based principles have been shown to improve child attachment security.

claimStandard parenting programs like 'The Incredible Years' have been shown to improve sensitive responding in parents, which is likely to lead to increased attachment security in children.

claimIntervention studies focused on improving parental sensitivity have successfully increased rates of secure attachment, suggesting that parental sensitivity is a causal factor in attachment security rather than merely a correlate, according to Bakermans-Kranenburg et al. (2003).

referenceIn a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in infancy, Bakermans-Kranenburg et al. (2003) concluded that 'less is more,' meaning that relatively short interventions with a behavioral focus on improving sensitive responding and limit setting by the parent led to the greatest increase in attachment security.

Bowlby's Attachment Theory: 4 Styles & Classroom Impact structural-learning.com Structural Learning Jun 30, 2023 5 facts

claimAttachment security affects a learner’s later development, according to research by John Bowlby (1969) and Mary Ainsworth (1978).

measurementA 2024 multilevel meta-analysis of 53,619 learners confirmed that attachment security correlates with academic achievement (r = .132), motivation (r = .161), and school engagement (r = .229).

claimResearch indicates that attachment security influences learner engagement.

claimAttachment security in toddlerhood predicts later executive function, according to research by Sroufe et al. in 2005.

claimAttachment security at age seven predicts later reasoning skills, based on a study of learners aged seven to fifteen by Jacobsen, Edelstein, and Hofmann (1994).

The Effects of Attachment and Trauma on Parenting and Children's ... rsisinternational.org Alexandra Vaporidis, Lilian Njoroge · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science Aug 16, 2025 3 facts

claimParents with unresolved trauma often exhibit controlling, inconsistent, and unreceptive parenting styles, which prevents them from fostering a child's understanding of safety and attachment security, according to Siegel (2010).

claimInterventions aimed at improving attachment security in adults with a history of trauma can interrupt cycles of dysfunction and promote mental health and relational well-being within families, as supported by Siegel (2010) and Pandey and Gupta (2025).

claimChildren receiving stable, sensitive, and responsive caregiving have a higher chance of developing attachment security, which promotes emotional stability, adaptive coping, and good relationships in social life.

John Bowlby's Attachment Theory - Simply Psychology simplypsychology.org Simply Psychology Apr 20, 2025 3 facts

claimCaregiver sensitivity is a robust predictor of attachment security in children, according to research by Mary Ainsworth et al. (1978).

referenceK. A. Dugan, R. C. Fraley, O. Gillath, and P. R. Deboeck published 'Testing the canalization hypothesis of attachment theory: Examining within-subject variation in attachment security' in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2024.

Publications - Parenting Across Cultures parentingacrosscultures.org Parenting Across Cultures Apr 25, 2025 1 fact

referenceLu et al. (in press) authored a study titled 'Attachment security, environmental adversity, and fast life history behavioral profiles in human adolescents,' published in Development and Psychopathology, which explores the relationship between attachment, adversity, and behavioral profiles in adolescents.

Parent–child attachment and adolescent problematic behavior frontiersin.org Frontiers Feb 26, 2025 1 fact

referenceRehder, P. D., Mills-Koonce, W. R., Wagner, N. J., Zvara, B., and Willoughby, M. T. (2021) published the article 'Attachment quality assessed from children's family drawings links to child conduct problems and callous-unemotional behaviors' in Attachment & Human Development, volume 23, pages 239–256.