ABSTRACT
An approach to the relations between individual characteristics and relationships, which has become increasingly prominent in recent years, has been developed from Bowlby’s (1969/82, 1973, 1980, 1991) attachment theory. Originally formulated to account for the effects of maternal deprivation on personality development, the essence of attachment theory is that the parent (or other primary caregiver) provides a secure base from which the infant can set out to explore the world, but to which he or she can return if distressed, tired, etc. Bowlby’s work started from the observation that delinquency in adolescent boys was associated with a history of early separations from the mother. He therefore suggested that maternal deprivation, or the lack of a secure base, especially during the first few years of life, put children at risk for the development of both mental and physical illness.
