Measuring Attachment

This volume provides an in-depth examination of traditional and emerging measures of attachment behavior and representations from infancy to adulthood. Leading authorities share their expertise on the Strange Situation, the Attachment Q-set, Ainsworth's Maternal Sensitivity Scales, the Adult Attachment Interview, the Attachment Script Assessments, and the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System, as well as analogue and experimental methods. The book clarifies the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of the various measures and shows how they fit into a coherent developmental framework. Offering detailed discussions of key constructs such as attachment security, the secure base phenomenon, disorganization, and narrative structure, this is a valuable resource for both researchers and practitioners who use attachment assessments in their work.

"As interest in the study of attachment beyond the early years of life has burgeoned, a number of new measures for assessing attachment have been developed. In this volume, renowned attachment researchers have organized an excellent array of contributors who have conducted careful work on validating these new measures. The editors have provided a valuable tool for developmentalists, graduate students, pediatricians, clinical psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric researchers. I look forward to using this book in my graduate classes in developmental science, clinical psychology, and developmental psychopathology."--Dante Cicchetti, PhD, McKnight Presidential Chair and Professor, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota "Rich in history and theory, this is a compelling work for researchers, clinicians, and students interested in the assessment, measurement, and definition of constructs critical to the attachment system. All in one place, readers can find thorough consideration of the best-validated, state-of-the-art methodologies used to assess attachment throughout the lifespan (including the neglected periods of middle childhood and adolescence). This important guide provides links to measurement manuals; offers insightful tips for observation, scoring, interpretation, and the training of coders and research assistants; and explains key constructs. This is an impressive reference for scholars and practitioners at any level interested in the developmental continuity and intergenerational transmission of attachment."--Jennifer C. Ablow, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon "In my teaching and advising, I am always asking students: 'How was attachment measured?' Student responses indicate how little attention is given to attachment measurement, making this a timely and needed resource. I can see assigning this book in my doctoral seminar on attachment theory and research. The chapters are written by the leading figures in the field and provide essential information for new and more seasoned researchers, students, and clinicians. This invaluable contribution is a one-stop shop to compare and evaluate attachment measures across the lifespan."--Richard Lanthier, PhD, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University-

Everett Waters, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University, State University of New York. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, he is a coauthor of Mary Ainsworth’s classic volume Patterns of Attachment. He is a recipient of the 2009 Bowlby–Ainsworth Award for contributions to attachment theory and measurement and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Emotion and Attachment Studies. Brian E. Vaughn, PhD, holds the Human Sciences Professor of Human Development Chair in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Auburn University. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, he has published widely on attachment and temperament and the relation of infant attachment to social competence in early childhood. He is a recipient of the 2011 Bowlby–Ainsworth Award for advancing ethological methods in attachment study. Harriet Salatas Waters, PhD, is Emerita Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University, State University of New York. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, she has made significant contributions to research on attachment narratives in middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. She is a recipient of the 2021 Bowlby–Ainsworth Award for contributions to the theory and measurement of attachment representations.