Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues

T. Forslund; P. Granqvist; M.H. van IJzendoorn; A. Sagi-Schwartz; D. Glaser; M. Steele; M. Hammarlund; C. Schuengel; M.J. Bakermans-Kranenburg; H. Steele; P.R. Shaver; U. Lux; J. Simmonds; D. Jacobvitz; A.M. Groh; K. Bernard; C. Cyr; N.L. Hazen; S. Foster; E. Psouni; P.A. Cowan; C. Pape Cowan; A. Rifkin-Graboi; D. Wilkins; B. Pierrehumbert; G.M. Tarabulsy; R.A. Carcamo; Z. Wang; X. Liang; M. Kázmierczak; P. Pawlicka; L. Ayiro; T. Chansa; F. Sichimba; H. Mooya; L. McLean; M. Verissimo; S. Gojman-de-Millán; M.M. Moretti; F. Bacro; M.J. Peltola; M. Galbally; K. Kondo-Ikemura; K.Y. Behrens; S. Scott; A.F. Rodriguez; R. Spencer; G. Posada; R. Cassibba; N. Barrantes-Vidal; J. Palacios; L. Barone; S. Madigan; K. Mason-Jones; S. Reijman; F. Juffer; R. Pasco Fearon; A. Bernier; D. Cicchetti; G.I. Roisman; J. Cassidy; H. Kindler; P. Zimmermann; R. Feldman; G. Spangler; C.H. Zeanah; M. Dozier; J. Belsky; M.E. Lamb; R. Duschinsky

doi:10.1080/14616734.2020.1840762

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Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues

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Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues

T. Forslund, P. Granqvist, M.H. van IJzendoorn, A. Sagi-Schwartz, D. Glaser, M. Steele, M. Hammarlund, C. Schuengel, M.J. Bakermans-Kranenburg, H. Steele, …

Attachment & Human Development, Latest Article

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2020.1840762

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Abstract

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.

Details

Title: Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues
Authors/Creators: T. Forslund (Author/Creator) - Uppsala University
P. Granqvist (Author/Creator) - Stockholm University
M.H. van IJzendoorn (Author/Creator) - Erasmus University Rotterdam
A. Sagi-Schwartz (Author/Creator) - University of Haifa
D. Glaser (Author/Creator) - University College London
M. Steele (Author/Creator) - New School
M. Hammarlund (Author/Creator) - Stockholm University
C. Schuengel (Author/Creator) - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
M.J. Bakermans-Kranenburg (Author/Creator) - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
H. Steele (Author/Creator) - New School
P.R. Shaver (Author/Creator) - University of California, Davis
U. Lux (Author/Creator) - Department Families and Family Policies, German Youth Institute, Munich, Germany.
J. Simmonds (Author/Creator) - Coram
D. Jacobvitz (Author/Creator) - The University of Texas at Austin
A.M. Groh (Author/Creator) - University of Missouri
K. Bernard (Author/Creator) - Stony Brook University
C. Cyr (Author/Creator) - Université du Québec à Montréal
N.L. Hazen (Author/Creator) - The University of Texas at Austin
S. Foster (Author/Creator) - Northumbria University
E. Psouni (Author/Creator) - Lund University
P.A. Cowan (Author/Creator) - University of California, Berkeley
C. Pape Cowan (Author/Creator)
A. Rifkin-Graboi (Author/Creator) - Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences
D. Wilkins (Author/Creator) - Cardiff University
B. Pierrehumbert (Author/Creator) - University of Lausanne
G.M. Tarabulsy (Author/Creator) - Université Laval
R.A. Carcamo (Author/Creator) - Universidad de Magallanes
Z. Wang (Author/Creator) - Capital Normal University
X. Liang (Author/Creator) - Capital Normal University
M. Kázmierczak (Author/Creator) - University of Gdańsk
P. Pawlicka (Author/Creator) - University of Gdańsk
L. Ayiro (Author/Creator) - Maseno University
T. Chansa (Author/Creator) - University of Zambia
F. Sichimba (Author/Creator) - University of Zambia
H. Mooya (Author/Creator) - University of Zambia
L. McLean (Author/Creator) - The University of Sydney
M. Verissimo (Author/Creator) - International Sleep Products Association
S. Gojman-de-Millán (Author/Creator) - Research Center of the Seminario de Sociopsicoanálisis, Mexico City, Mexico.
M.M. Moretti (Author/Creator) - Simon Fraser University
F. Bacro (Author/Creator) - Nantes Université
M.J. Peltola (Author/Creator) - Tampere University
M. Galbally (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
K. Kondo-Ikemura (Author/Creator) - Teikyo University
K.Y. Behrens (Author/Creator) - SUNY Polytechnic Institute
S. Scott (Author/Creator) - King's College London
A.F. Rodriguez (Author/Creator)
R. Spencer (Author/Creator) - University of Talca
G. Posada (Author/Creator) - Purdue University West Lafayette
R. Cassibba (Author/Creator) - University of Bari Aldo Moro
N. Barrantes-Vidal (Author/Creator) - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
J. Palacios (Author/Creator) - Universidad de Sevilla
L. Barone (Author/Creator) - University of Pavia
S. Madigan (Author/Creator) - Alberta Children's Hospital
K. Mason-Jones (Author/Creator)
S. Reijman (Author/Creator) - University of Cambridge
F. Juffer (Author/Creator) - Leiden University
R. Pasco Fearon (Author/Creator)
A. Bernier (Author/Creator) - Université de Montréal
D. Cicchetti (Author/Creator) - University of Minnesota
G.I. Roisman (Author/Creator) - University of Minnesota
J. Cassidy (Author/Creator) - University of Maryland, College Park
H. Kindler (Author/Creator) - Deutsches Jugendinstitut
P. Zimmermann (Author/Creator) - University of Wuppertal
R. Feldman (Author/Creator) - Reichman University
G. Spangler (Author/Creator) - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
C.H. Zeanah (Author/Creator) - Yale University
M. Dozier (Author/Creator) - Tulane University
J. Belsky (Author/Creator) - University of Delaware
M.E. Lamb (Author/Creator) - University of California, Davis
R. Duschinsky (Author/Creator) - University of Cambridge
Publication Details: Attachment & Human Development, Latest Article
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Identifiers: 991005540607007891
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Allied Health
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 6 Social Sciences; 6.24 Psychiatry & Psychology; 6.24.15 Parenting and Child Development
Web Of Science research areas: Psychology, Developmental
ESI research areas: Psychiatry/Psychology