The development of infant-parent attachment: Considerations for assessment

Attachment between infant and caregiver has emerged as a major component of socioemotional development in the first 3 years of life. Clinicians who attempt to assess attachment may be hampered by the absence of standardized tools. In this article, we review the construct of attachment, its role as a motivational system in infancy, and its development in the first 3 years of life. Throughout, we emphasize that attachment must be assessed in the context of a particular infant-parent relationship. We review specific infant. and caregiver behaviors salient to the assessment of attachment, as well as emphasize the importance of caregiver representational models.