Development of Traditional Attachment Theory

The concept of parent–child attachment was introduced by Dr. John Bowlby in the 1950s and has become widely known and widely referred to in court proceedings. Attachment theory has contributed to understanding of the development of psychopathology in children and has been helpful for clinicians. However, scientific analyses find that assessment instruments derived from traditional attachment theory are not well suited to the task of providing forensic assessments for courts. This chapter reviews the development of traditional attachment theory, identifies contributions made by attachment theory, summarises reviews of instruments derived from traditional attachment theory to measure child–parent bonds, and summarises criticisms made when concepts from traditional attachment theory are applied to vulnerable families who appear in court proceedings.