Attachment and attachment disorders

Attachment is described by Bowlby as the relationships that we have with primary caregivers (Bowlby, 1969, p. 29; Marshall, 2014). Attachments are a key feature of an infant's development, and Bowlby concluded that separation from a primary caregiver can lead to life-long struggles and that the emotional attitude parents show towards their children can have long-term effects on the child (Marshall, 2014, p. 29).