Handbook of Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications

Widely regarded as the state-of-the-science reference on attachment, this handbook interweaves theory and cutting-edge research with clinical applications. Leading researchers examine the origins and development of attachment theory; present biological and evolutionary perspectives; and explore the role of attachment processes in relationships, including both parent–child and romantic bonds. Implications for mental health and psychotherapy are addressed, with reviews of exemplary attachment-oriented interventions for children and adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Contributors discuss best practices in assessment and critically evaluate available instruments and protocols.

New to This Edition
*Chapters on genetics and epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and sexual mating.
*Chapters on compassion, school readiness, and the caregiving system across the lifespan.
*Chapter probing the relation between attachment and other developmental influences.
*Nearly a decade's worth of theoretical and empirical advances.

Jude Cassidy, PhD, is Distinguished Scholar-Teacher and Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Director of the Maryland Child and Family Development Laboratory. Her research interests include socioemotional development from infancy through adolescence, with an emphasis on attachment and family relationships; social, cognitive, and regulatory mechanisms through which children’s early family experiences come to influence later well-being and relationships; and early intervention designed to reduce the risk of insecure attachment and mental disorders. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund. Dr. Cassidy serves as coeditor of the journal Attachment and Human Development and is on the editorial boards of Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Infant Mental Health Journal. She is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the American Psychological Association (APA), and received the Boyd R. McCandless Young Scientist Award from APA Division 7 (Developmental Psychology).

Phillip R. Shaver, PhD, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Davis. He has published several books, including Handbook of Attachment, Third Edition, and over 250 journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Shaver's research focuses on attachment, human motivation and emotion, close relationships, personality development, and the effects of meditation on behavior and brain. He is a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, and has served as executive officer of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology (SESP) and as president of the International Association for Relationship Research (IARR). Dr. Shaver is a recipient of Distinguished Career Awards from the SESP, the IARR, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Stockholm, Sweden. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.