ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about counselors working with young people to the basic concepts of attachment theory, the developmental progression of attachment, and a primer on attachment-based interventions. The social psychology tradition assigns attachment styles, which are dimensional and include attachment anxiety and avoidance. Persons low on both are more secure, while being high on one of the dimensions represents insecurity. Attachment theory can also be considered in the context of child development theories. Cognitive, language, and social development interact to influence the development of attachment. The chapter highlights several theories and relates them to attachment theory. It is important that counselors working with children also understand the role of attachment in caregiving, as they are likely to either work with parents directly or have the opportunity to provide attachment-informed resources and interventions aimed at parents. This involvement with caregivers transcends setting for counselors.
