Showing papers on "Interpersonal relationship published in 2011"

Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health.

Abstract: Over the past 30 years investigators have called repeatedly for research on the mechanisms through which social relationships and social support improve physical and psychological well-being, both directly and as stress buffers. I describe seven possible mechanisms: social influence/social comparison, social control, role-based purpose and meaning (mattering), self-esteem, sense of control, belonging and companionship, and perceived support availability. Stress-buffering processes also involve these mechanisms. I argue that there are two broad types of support, emotional sustenance and active coping assistance, and two broad categories of supporters, significant others and experientially similar others, who specialize in supplying different types of support to distressed individuals. Emotionally sustaining behaviors and instrumental aid from significant others and empathy, active coping assistance, and role modeling from similar others should be most efficacious in alleviating the physical and emotional impacts of stressors.

What is resilience

Abstract: Objective:While everyone—including front-line clinicians—should strive to prevent the maltreatment and other severe stresses experienced by many children and adults in everyday life, psychiatrists ...

Handbook of Peer Interactions, Relationships, and Groups

Abstract: Part I. Introduction: History and Theory. W.W. Hartup, Critical Issues and Theoretical Viewpoints. G.W. Ladd, Trends, Travails, and Turning Points in Early Research on Children's Peer Relationships: Legacies and Lessons for Our Time? Part II. Social Behaviors, Interactions, Relationships, and Groups: What Should be Measured, How, and Why? R.A. Fabes, C.L. Martin, L.D. Hanish, Children's Behaviors and Interactions with Peers. T.J. Berndt, M.A. McCandless, Methods for Investigating Children's Relationships with Friends. A.H.N. Cillessen, Sociometric Methods. T.A. Kindermann, S.D. Gest, Assessment of the Peer Group: Identifying Naturally Occurring Social Networks and Capturing Their Effects. Part III. Infancy and Early Childhood. D.F. Hay, M. Caplan, A. Nash, The Beginnings of Peer Relations. R.J. Coplan, K.A. Arbeau, Peer Interactions and Play in Early Childhood. L. Rose-Krasnor, S. Denham, Social-Emotional Competence in Early Childhood. C. Howes, Friendship in Early Childhood. B.E. Vaughn, A.J. Santos, Structural Descriptions of Social Transactions among Young Children: Affiliation and Dominance in Preschool Groups. Part IV. Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence. W.M. Bukowski, C. Motzoi, F. Meyer, Friendship as Process, Function, and Outcome. S.R. Asher, K.L. McDonald, The Behavioral Basis of Acceptance, Rejection, and Perceived Popularity. M. Killen, A. Rutland, N.S. Jampol, Social Exclusion in Childhood and Adolescence. B. Laursen, G. Pursell, Conflict in Peer Relationships. N.R. Crick, D. Murray-Close, P.E.L. Marks, N. Mohajeri-Nelson, Aggression and Peer Relationships in School-Age Children: Relational and Physical Aggression in Group and Dyadic Contexts. K.H. Rubin, J.C. Bowker, A.E. Kennedy, Avoiding and Withdrawing from the Peer Group. C. Salmivalli, K. Peets, Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victim Relationships in Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence. W. Furman, W.A. Collins, Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Experiences. B. Brown, E.L. Dietz, Informal Peer Groups in Middle Childhood and Adolescence. Part V. Distal Correlates of Children's Peer Relationships. A.J. Rose, R.L. Smith, Sex Differences in Peer Relationships. S. Graham, A.Z. Taylor, A.Y. Ho, Race and Ethnicity in Peer Relations Research. H. Stattin, M. Kerr, Neighborhood Contexts of Peer Relationships and Groups. X. Chen, J. Chung, C. Hsiao, Peer Interactions and Relationships from a Cross-Cultural Perspective. Part VI. Proximal Correlates of Children's Social Skills and Peer Relationships. M. Brendgen, M. Boivin, Genetic Factors in Children's Peer Relations. N. Eisenberg, J. Vaughan, C. Hofer, Temperament, Self-Regulation, and Peer Social Competence. C. Booth-LaForce, K.A. Kerns, Child-Parent Attachment Relationships, Peer Relationships, and Peer-Group Functioning. H. Ross, N. Howe, Family Influences on Children's Peer Relationships. Part VII. Childhood Peer Experiences and Later Adjustment. K.R. Wentzel, Peers and Academic Functioning at School. M.J. Prinstein, D. Rancourt, J.D. Guerry, C.B. Browne, Peer Reputations and Psychological Adjustment. F. Vitaro, M. Boivin, W.M. Bukowski, The Role of Friendship in Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Development. Part VIII. Translation and Policy. T.J. Dishion, T.F. Piehler, Deviant by Design: Peer Contagion in Development, Interventions, and Schools. K.L. Bierman, C.J. Powers, Social Skills Training to Improve Peer Relations.

The Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures questionnaire: a method for assessing attachment orientations across relationships.

Abstract: Most research on adult attachment is based on the assumption that working models are relatively general and trait-like. Recent research, however, suggests that people develop attachment representations that are relationship-specific, leading people to hold distinct working models in different relationships. The authors report a measure, the Relationship Structures questionnaire of the Experiences in Close Relationships—Revised (ECR-RS; R. C. Fraley, N. G. Waller, & K. A. Brennan, 2000), that is designed to assess attachment dimensions in multiple contexts. Based on a sample of over 21,000 individuals studied online, it is shown that ECR-RS scores are reliable and have a structure similar to those produced by other measures. In Study 2 (N 388), it is shown that relationship-specific measures of attachment generally predict intra- and interpersonal outcomes better than broader attachment measures but that broader measures predict personality traits better than relationship-specific measures. Moreover, it is demonstrated that differentiation in working models is not related to psychological outcomes independently of mean levels of security.

Teacher Wellbeing: The Importance of Teacher–Student Relationships

Abstract: Many studies have examined the importance of teacher–student relationships for the development of children. Much less is known, however, about how these relationships impact the professional and personal lives of teachers. This review considers the importance of teacher–student relationships for the wellbeing of teachers starting from the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping of Lazarus (1991). Based on theories on interpersonal relationships, it is postulated that teachers have a basic need for relatedness with the students in their class. It is discussed that teachers internalize experiences with students in representational models of relationships that guide emotional responses in daily interactions with students and change teacher wellbeing in the long run. In addition, the notion of mental representations of relationships at different levels of generalization could offer a window to understand how individual teacher–student relationships may affect the professional and personal self-esteem of teachers. Lastly, it is argued that the influence of student misbehavior on teacher stress may be more fully understood from a relationship perspective. The review shows that few studies have directly tested these propositions and offers suggestions for future research.

Cross-Group Friendships and Intergroup Attitudes A Meta-Analytic Review

Abstract: This work identifies how cross-group friendships are conceptualized and measured in intergroup research, investigates which operationalizations yield the strongest effects on intergroup attitudes, explores potential moderators, and discusses the theoretical importance of the findings. Prior meta-analyses have provided initial evidence that cross-group friendships are especially powerful forms of intergroup contact. Although studies of cross-group friendship have grown considerably in recent years, varied assessments leave us without a clear understanding of how different operationalizations affect relationships between friendship and attitudes. With a greatly expanded database of relevant studies, the authors compared friendship-attitude associations across a wide range of specific conceptualizations. Time spent and self-disclosure with outgroup friends yielded significantly greater associations with attitudes than other friendship measures, suggesting that attitudes are most likely to improve when cross-group friendships involve behavioral engagement. Processes underlying cross-group friendships are discussed, as are implications for future research and application.

Attachment and the processing of social information across the life span: theory and evidence.

Abstract: Researchers have used J. Bowlby's (1969/1982, 1973, 1980, 1988) attachment theory frequently as a basis for examining whether experiences in close personal relationships relate to the processing of social information across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. We present an integrative life-span-encompassing theoretical model to explain the patterns of results that have emerged from these studies. The central proposition is that individuals who possess secure experience-based internal working models of attachment will process--in a relatively open manner--a broad range of positive and negative attachment-relevant social information. Moreover, secure individuals will draw on their positive attachment-related knowledge to process this information in a positively biased schematic way. In contrast, individuals who possess insecure internal working models of attachment will process attachment-relevant social information in one of two ways, depending on whether the information could cause the individual psychological pain. If processing the information is likely to lead to psychological pain, insecure individuals will defensively exclude this information from further processing. If, however, the information is unlikely to lead to psychological pain, then insecure individuals will process this information in a negatively biased schematic fashion that is congruent with their negative attachment-related experiences. In a comprehensive literature review, we describe studies that illustrate these patterns of attachment-related information processing from childhood to adulthood. This review focuses on studies that have examined specific components (e.g., attention and memory) and broader aspects (e.g., attributions) of social information processing. We also provide general conclusions and suggestions for future research.

Problematic Video Game Use: Estimated Prevalence and Associations with Mental and Physical Health

Abstract: A nationwide survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence of video game addiction and problematic video game use and their association with physical and mental health An initial sample comprising 2,500 individuals was randomly selected from the Norwegian National Registry A total of 816 (340 percent) individuals completed and returned the questionnaire The majority (563 percent) of respondents used video games on a regular basis The prevalence of video game addiction was estimated to be 06 percent, with problematic use of video games reported by 41 percent of the sample Gender (male) and age group (young) were strong predictors for problematic use of video games A higher proportion of high frequency compared with low frequency players preferred massively multiplayer online role-playing games, although the majority of high frequency players preferred other game types Problematic use of video games was associated with lower scores on life satisfaction and with elevated levels of an

Social Networks and Friendships at School: Comparing Children With and Without ASD

Abstract: Self, peer and teacher reports of social relationships were examined for 60 high-functioning children with ASD. Compared to a matched sample of typical children in the same classroom, children with ASD were more often on the periphery of their social networks, reported poorer quality friendships and had fewer reciprocal friendships. On the playground, children with ASD were mostly unengaged but playground engagement was not associated with peer, self, or teacher reports of social behavior. Twenty percent of children with ASD had a reciprocated friendship and also high social network status. Thus, while the majority of high functioning children with ASD struggle with peer relationships in general education classrooms, a small percentage of them appear to have social success.

Psychological, Social, and Behavioral Issues for Young Adults With Cancer*

Abstract: Theories of human development suggest that, although all cancer patients experience a common set of life disruptions, they experience them differently, focus on different issues, and attach different levels of importance to different aspects of the experience depending on the time in life at which they were diagnosed. During the critical developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, older adolescents and young adults in particular have typical concerns with establishing identity, developing a positive body image and sexual identity, separating from parents, increasing involvement with peers and dating, and beginning to make decisions about careers or employment, higher education, and/or family. Accordingly, cancer-related issues such as premature confrontation with mortality, changes in physical appearance, increased dependence on parents, disruptions in social life and school/employment because of treatment, loss of reproductive capacity, and health-related concerns about the future may be particularly distressing for adolescents and young adults. Psychosocial and behavioral interventions for young adult cancer patients and survivors often involve assisting these individuals in retaining or returning to function in significant social roles, such as spouse, parent, student, worker, or friend. Successful interventions will enable these young people to overcome the detrimental impact of a health crisis and strengthen the internal and external coping resources available to them.

Increasing emotional competence improves psychological and physical well-being, social relationships, and employability.

Abstract: This study builds on earlier work showing that adult emotional competencies (EC) could be improved through a relatively brief training. In a set of 2 controlled experimental studies, the authors investigated whether developing EC could lead to improved emotional functioning; long-term personality changes; and important positive implications for physical, psychological, social, and work adjustment. Results of Study 1 showed that 18 hr of training with e-mail follow-up was sufficient to significantly improve emotion regulation, emotion understanding, and overall EC. These changes led in turn to long-term significant increases in extraversion and agreeableness as well as a decrease in neuroticism. Results of Study 2 showed that the development of EC brought about positive changes in psychological well-being, subjective health, quality of social relationships, and employability. The effect sizes were sufficiently large for the changes to be considered as meaningful in people’s lives.

Attachment, self-compassion, empathy, and subjective well-being among college students and community adults

Abstract: Research on subjective well-being suggests that it is only partly a function of environmental circumstances. There may be a personality characteristic or a resilient disposition toward experiencing high levels of well-being even in unfavorable circumstances. Adult attachment may contribute to this resilient disposition. This study examined whether the association between attachment anxiety and subjective well-being was mediated by Neff's (2003a, 2003b) concept of self-compassion. It also examined empathy toward others as a mediator in the association between attachment avoidance and subjective well-being. In Study 1, 195 college students completed self-report surveys. In Study 2, 136 community adults provided a cross-validation of the results. As expected, across these 2 samples, findings suggested that self-compassion mediated the association between attachment anxiety and subjective well-being, and emotional empathy toward others mediated the association between attachment avoidance and subjective well-being.

Sex Differences in Romantic Attachment: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: This article presents the first meta-analysis of sex differences in the avoidance and anxiety dimensions of adult romantic attachment, based on 113 samples (N = 66,132) from 100 studies employing two-dimensional romantic attachment questionnaires (Experiences in Close Relationships, Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, and Adult Attachment Questionnaire). Overall, males showed higher avoidance and lower anxiety than females, with substantial between-study heterogeneity. Sex differences were much larger in community samples (bivariate D = .28) than in college samples (D = .12); web-based studies showed the smallest sex differences (D = .07) in the opposite direction. Sex differences also varied across geographic regions (overall Ds = .10 to .34). Sex differences in anxiety peaked in young adulthood, whereas those in avoidance increased through the life course. The relevance of these findings for evolutionary models of romantic attachment is discussed, and possible factors leading to underestimation of sex differences are reviewed.

Social Network Type and Subjective Well-being in a National Sample of Older Americans

Abstract: Purpose: The study considers the social networks of older Americans, a population for whom there have been few studies of social network type. It also examines associations between network types and well-being indicators: loneliness, anxiety, and happiness. Design and Methods: A subsample of persons aged 65 years and older from the first wave of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project was employed (N = 1,462). We applied K-means cluster analysis to derive social network types using 7 criterion variables. In the multivariate stage, the well-being outcomes were regressed on the network type construct and on background and health characteristics by means of logistic regression. Results: Five social network types were derived: “diverse,” “friend,” “congregant,” “family,” and “restricted.” Social network type was found to be associated with each of the well-being indicators after adjusting for demographic and health confounders. Respondents embedded in network types characterized by greater social capital tended to exhibit better well-being in terms of less loneliness, less anxiety, and greater happiness. Implications: Knowledge about differing network types should make gerontological practitioners more aware of the varying interpersonal milieus in which older people function. Adopting network type assessment as an integral part of intake procedures and tracing network shifts over time can serve as a basis for risk assessment as well as a means for determining the efficacy of interventions.

Two-Year Impacts of a Universal School-Based Social-Emotional and Literacy Intervention: An Experiment in Translational Developmental Research

Abstract: This study contributes to ongoing scholarship at the nexus of translational research, education reform, and the developmental and prevention sciences. It reports 2-year experimental impacts of a universal, integrated school-based intervention in social-emotional learning and literacy development on children’s socialemotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. The study employed a school-randomized, experimental design with 1,184 children in 18 elementary schools. Children in the intervention schools showed improvements across several domains: self-reports of hostile attributional bias, aggressive interpersonal negotiation strategies, and depression, and teacher reports of attention skills, and aggressive and socially competent behavior. In addition, there were effects of the intervention on children’s math and reading achievement for those identified by teachers at baseline at highest behavioral risk. These findings are interpreted in light of developmental cascades theory and lend support to the value of universal, integrated interventions in the elementary school period for promoting children’s social-emotional and academic skills.

Sexual Satisfaction and Relationship Happiness in Midlife and Older Couples in Five Countries

Abstract: Sexuality research focuses almost exclusively on individuals rather than couples, though ongoing relationships are very important for most people and cultures. The present study was the first to examine sexual and relationship parame- ters of middle-aged and older couples in committed relation- ships of 1-51 years duration. Survey research was conducted in Brazil, Germany, Japan, Spain, and the U.S. targeting 200 men aged 40-70 and their female partners in each country, with 1,009 couples in the final sample. Key demographic, health, physical intimacy, sexual behavior, sexual function, and sexual history variables were used to model relationship happiness and sexual satisfaction. The median ages were 55 for men and 52 for women; median relationship duration was 25 years. Relation- ship satisfaction in men depended on health, physical intimacy, and sexual functioning, while in women only sexual functioning predicted relationship satisfaction. Models predicting sexual satisfaction included significant physical intimacy and sexual functioning for both genders and, for men, more frequent recent sexual activity and fewer lifetime partners. Longer relationship duration predicted greater relationship happiness and sexual satisfaction for men. However, women in relationships of 20 to 40 years were significantly less likely than men to report rela- tionship happiness. Compared to men, women showed lower sexual satisfaction early in the relationship and greater sexual satisfaction later. Within the long-term committed relationship context, there were significant gender differences in correlates of sexual and relationship satisfaction, with sexual functioning a common predictor of both types of satisfaction and physical intimacy a more consistent and salient predictor for men.

Socialization Processes in the Family: Social and Emotional Development

Abstract: Children learn moral values and social conventions through a process of socialization, much of which involves parenting. The process is bidirectional and involves a complex interplay between evolutionary predispositions and genetic and socio-cultural factors. Children's perception of, or assignment of meaning to, parenting interventions is central. Socialization occurs in different domains marked by different aspects of the parent-child relationship and different underlying mechanisms. Each domain requires different parenting actions that must be matched to the domain in which the child is operating and that result in different outcomes for the child. The domains include protection, mutual reciprocity, control, guided learning, and group participation, and are assumed to be operative in all cultures. The review concludes that children need to experience their parents as supportive and understanding, that they need structure, and that they need to feel they have some degree of control over their own actions.

University Life of Non-Traditional Students: Engagement Styles and Impact on Attrition

Abstract: In the light of the literature on student engagement, social integration, and adult learning, an empirical study ( n = 228 students) explored the relationship between first-year academic experience and non-traditional students' retention. Results show that engagement, social integration, and meaningfulness of learning experience have different effects on non-traditional and traditional students' retention.

Promoting Participation in a Diverse Democracy: A Meta-Analysis of College Diversity Experiences and Civic Engagement

Abstract: In recent years, American colleges and universities have seen greater diversity among their undergraduate students and greater civic interest and action among these students. In fact, many have argued that meaningful engagement with diversity constitutes an important means of preparing college graduates to participate and flourish in a globalized and rapidly changing society. The current study explores this assertion by conducting a meta-analysis of the relationship between college diversity experiences and civic engagement. The results show that diversity experiences are associated with increases in civic attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behaviors, and the magnitude of this effect is greater for interpersonal interactions with racial diversity than for curricular and cocurricular diversity experiences. The strength of the relationship between diversity and civic engagement also depends on the type of civic outcome and whether changes in that outcome are assessed through self-reported gains versus lo...

Invisible Victims: Same-Sex IPV in the National Violence Against Women Survey

Abstract: With intimate partner violence (IPV) among same-sex couples largely ignored by policy makers and researchers alike, accurately estimating the size of the problem is important in determining whether this minimal response is justified. As such, the present study is a secondary data analysis of the National Violence Against Women Survey and represents the first multiple variable regression analysis of U.S. adult same-sex IPV prevalence using a nationally representative sample (N = 14,182). Logistic regressions indicate that, independent of sex, respondents with a history of same-sex relationships are more likely to experience verbal, controlling, physical, and sexual IPV. Behaviorally "bisexual" respondents experience the highest IPV rates and are most likely to be victimized by an opposite-sex partner. Implications for future IPV research regarding sexual orientation and gender are discussed.

Better with age: Social relationships across adulthood

Abstract: Older adults typically report higher levels of satisfaction with their social relationships than younger adults. The present paper integrates current developmental research to explain why social relationships are generally more positive with age. We discuss actions by older adults that contribute to more positive social experiences. We also include social role changes that may provide advantages for older adults when navigating their relationships. Next, we turn to interactional processes between older adults with their social partners. We review literature indicating that: (a) older adults engage in strategies that optimize positive social experiences and minimize negative ones by avoiding conflicts, and (b) social partners often reciprocate by treating older adults more positively and with greater forgiveness than they do younger adults.

Depression in Diabetes: Have We Been Missing Something Important?

Abstract: An extensive literature has developed to suggest that depression is more common in patients with diabetes than in the general population (1) and is associated with chronic hyperglycemia (2), risk for diabetes complications (3), and mortality (4). Although the causal linkages among these relationships have not been demonstrated, their consistency has led to calls for intensive efforts to identify and treat clinical depression in patients with diabetes, with the reasonable presumption that this will contribute to better diabetes outcomes. Recent studies, however, suggest a more complicated picture and cast doubt on this presumption. Although research has suggested that the prevalence of clinical depression, or major depressive disorder (MDD), among adults with diabetes may be two to three times greater than among community adults (1), recent studies—which have used structured clinical interviews, the gold standard in the diagnosis of MDD—suggest that it is only about 60% more common (5). More importantly, diabetes-related distress, or significant negative emotional reactions to the diagnosis of diabetes, threat of complications, self-management demands, unresponsive providers, and/or unsupportive interpersonal relationships, has been found to be far more common, more chronic, and more closely related to diabetes self-care and glycemic control than MDD (5–7). Symptoms of depression, such as depressed mood, diminished interest, loss of energy, and concentration difficulties, that are elevated but do not meet severity criteria for MDD (referred to here as depressive symptoms) are also quite common among patients with diabetes and are associated with poor self-care (8). Furthermore, increased risk of complications and early mortality is not limited to those with MDD but also extends to those with elevated depressive symptoms, even when these elevations are quite modest (4). This suggests an incremental relationship between the severity of depressive symptoms and poorer diabetes outcomes rather than an effect of MDD per …

Emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties as risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescent girls.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine a model of factors that place psychiatrically hospitalized girls at risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The role of familial and peer interpersonal difficulties, as well as emotional dysregulation, were examined in relationship to NSSI behaviors. Participants were 99 adolescent girls (83.2% Caucasian; M age = 16.08) admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Structural equation modeling indicated the primacy of emotional dysregulation as an underlying process placing adolescents at risk for NSSI and mediating the influence of interpersonal problems through the family and peer domains. When family and peer relationships were characterized by conflict and lack of support for managing emotions, adolescents reported more dysregulated emotion processes. Family relational problems were directly and indirectly related to NSSI through emotional dysregulation. The indirect processes of peer relational problems, through emotional dysregulation, were significantly associated with NSSI frequency and severity. The findings suggest that the process by which interpersonal difficulties contribute to NSSI is complex, and is at least partially dependent on the nature of the interpersonal problems and emotion processes.

Potential social interactions are important to social attention

Abstract: Social attention, or how spatial attention is allocated to biologically relevant stimuli, has typically been studied using simplistic paradigms that do not provide any opportunity for social interaction. To study social attention in a complex setting that affords social interaction, we measured participants’ looking behavior as they were sitting in a waiting room, either in the presence of a confederate posing as another research participant, or in the presence of a videotape of the same confederate. Thus, the potential for social interaction existed only when the confederate was physically present. Although participants frequently looked at the videotaped confederate, they seldom turned toward or looked at the live confederate. Ratings of participants’ social skills correlated with head turns to the live, but not videotaped, confederate. Our results demonstrate the importance of studying social attention within a social context, and suggest that the mere opportunity for social interaction can alter social attention.

Practitioner review: clinical applications of attachment theory and research for infants and young children

Abstract: Study of attachment in the 1970s and 1980s focused on operationalizing and validating many of the tenets of attachment theory articulated in Bowlby’s landmark trilogy, Attachment and Loss (Bowlby, 1982, 1973, 1980), robustly underscoring the central role of child to parent attachment in the child’s development and mental health. Attachment theory and its implications have long interested clinicians, though determining how best to translate complex theoretical constructs and research methods into the clinical arena has been challenging. Nevertheless, well-defined landmarks in early childhood attachment are clinically useful, and the emergence of interventions drawn from systematic research is promising. The purpose of this paper is to summarize salient issues from attachment theory and research and discuss how these issues inform clinical work with infants and young children. We recognize that there is a range of clinical settings in which child–parent attachment will be important. Likewise, among practitioners serving young children and their families, there is a broad range of familiarity with and expertise in attachment principles and attachment-based treatment. We assert that all clinical services for young children and their families will be enhanced by providers’ understanding of attachment theory and research. We further assert that in some clinical contexts understanding child–parent attachment is essential. We begin by reviewing developmental research on attachment to describe how attachments develop, how individual differences in selective attachments manifest, and the characteristics of clinical disorders of attachment. Next, we turn to assessment of attachment in clinical settings. Then, we describe selected specialized clinical contexts in which assessing attachments are uniquely important. Finally, we describe four interventions for young children and their families, all of which are closely derived from attachment theory, supported by rigorous evaluations, and designed to support directly the developing child–parent relationship.