Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Attachment goes to court: child protection and custody issues
Stockholm University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology. SUF Resource Center, Region Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5519-9956
Stockholm University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0747-5028
Show others and affiliations
Number of Authors: 702022 (English)In: Attachment & Human Development, ISSN 1461-6734, E-ISSN 1469-2988, Vol. 24, no 1, p. 1-52Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis Group, 2022. Vol. 24, no 1, p. 1-52
Keywords [en]
attachment theory, best interests of the child, child custody, child protection, family court, consensus statement
National Category
Psychology
Research subject
Psychology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-201154DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2020.1840762OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-201154DiVA, id: diva2:1630020
Funder
Swedish Research Council, Grant 2017-03315Wellcome trust, Grant WT103343MAAvailable from: 2022-01-19 Created: 2022-01-19 Last updated: 2023-10-23Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full text

Authority records

Forslund, TommieGranqvist, Pehrvan IJzendoorn, Marinus H.Sagi-Schwartz, AviSteele, MiriamHammarlund, MårtenSchuengel, CarloBakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.Lux, UlrikeSimmonds, JohnJacobvitz, DeborahGroh, Ashley M.Bernard, KristinCyr, ChantalHazen, Nancy L.Foster, SarahPsouni, EliaRifkin-Graboi, AnneWilkins, DavidPierrehumbert, BlaiseCarcamo, Rodrigo A.Wang, ZhengyanLiang, XiKázmierczak, MariaPawlicka, PaulinaAyiro, LilianChansa, TamaraSichimba, FrancisMooya, HaatemboMcLean, LoyolaVerissimo, ManuelaMoretti, Marlene M.Bacro, FabienPeltola, Mikko J.Galbally, MeganScott, StephenRodriguez, Andrés FresnoSpencer, RosarioCassibba, RosalindaBarrantes-Vidal, NeusDuschinsky, Robbie

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Forslund, TommieGranqvist, Pehrvan IJzendoorn, Marinus H.Sagi-Schwartz, AviSteele, MiriamHammarlund, MårtenSchuengel, CarloBakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.Steele, HowardLux, UlrikeSimmonds, JohnJacobvitz, DeborahGroh, Ashley M.Bernard, KristinCyr, ChantalHazen, Nancy L.Foster, SarahPsouni, EliaRifkin-Graboi, AnneWilkins, DavidPierrehumbert, BlaiseCarcamo, Rodrigo A.Wang, ZhengyanLiang, XiKázmierczak, MariaPawlicka, PaulinaAyiro, LilianChansa, TamaraSichimba, FrancisMooya, HaatemboMcLean, LoyolaVerissimo, ManuelaMoretti, Marlene M.Bacro, FabienPeltola, Mikko J.Galbally, MeganScott, StephenRodriguez, Andrés FresnoSpencer, RosarioCassibba, RosalindaBarrantes-Vidal, NeusDuschinsky, Robbie
By organisation
Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology
In the same journal
Attachment & Human Development
Psychology

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 1289 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf