Citation

Lai YH, Carr S. Behav. Sci. (Basel) 2018; 8(12): e8120112.

Affiliation

Department of Education, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. S.Carr@bath.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/bs8120112

PMID

30544893

Abstract

Bowlby's attachment theory has been employed as a broad and integrative framework to explore human wellness across a range of disciplines. Attachment theory has even been labelled one of the last surviving "grand theories" not to have been completely dismissed, replaced, or extensively reworked. However, despite the ubiquitous nature of some of the theory's fundamental tenets, there are always possibilities for new conceptual development, extension, and revision. In this paper, we critically explore the idea of "context-specific" attachment within parent-child relationships. We briefly outline critical assumptions and key areas of attachment and articulate potential rationale, conceptualization, and relevance of contextual attachment.

Language: en

Keywords

academic; attachment; context-specific; contextual; hierarchical model; parent-child relationship; parenting; sport