ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors outline five enduring family therapy concepts associated with attachment, then integrate principles of sociocultural attunement. The enduring family therapy concepts that follow help clarify the systemic, interactive nature of attachment: focus on relational process; mutual emotional regulation; reciprocity, interdependence, and responsiveness; relational security and trust; and change through emotional connection. The authors consider the connections between attachment processes and sociocultural contexts, explore how societal power dynamics create disparities in whose experience is attuned to and understood, and consider third order change from an attachment point of view. Dominant cultural assumptions and contexts affect how theory is interpreted and applied. Attachment is likely to be viewed as a dyadic process without considering the role of other family members and social networks. The authors conclude with guidelines for socioculturally attuned practice and a case example.
