Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect.

Bowlby, John

doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x

Cited by 2,930Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchAttachment and Relationship DynamicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect.

Bowlby, John·1982·American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

DOI 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

An historical sketch of the manner in which evidence has accumulated showing the ill effects of separation, loss, and maternal deprivation during the early years, and of how, in the light of this evidence, a new conceptual framework, often referred to as attachment theory, has been formulated for understanding personality development and psychopathology.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x

Cites

2 of 2 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Some youth in mentoring programs have developed internal representations of relationships that incorporate fears and doubts about whether others will accept and support them.
“Consequently, they may have developed internal representations of relationships that incorporate fears and doubts about whether others will accept and support them (Bowlby, 1982;Egeland, Jacobvitz, & Sroufe, 1988).”
From The Test of Time: Predictors and Effects of Duration in Youth Mentoring Relationships (2002) · cites this paper as Bowlby, 1982
Enduring positive relationships may modify adolescents' general perceptions of relationships.
“Additionally, enduring positive relationships may modify adolescents' general perceptions of relationships (Bowlby, 1982;Belsky & Cassidy, 1994;Sroufe, 1995).”
From The Test of Time: Predictors and Effects of Duration in Youth Mentoring Relationships (2002) · cites this paper as Bowlby, 1982

Object relations, dependency, and attachment: a theoretical review of the infant-mother relationship
Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1969) · Child Development · doi:10.2307/1127008 · Cited by 1,461 · see citing works
PRIMARY AFFECT HUNGER
Levy, D. M. (1937) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.94.3.643 · Cited by 114 · see citing works

Flagged first, then by citations

Sorted by citations

The Test of Time: Predictors and Effects of Duration in Youth Mentoring Relationships
Grossman, J. B., & Rhodes, J. E. (2002) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1023/a:1014680827552 · Cited by 678 · see citing works
Opioid receptors: Distinct roles in mood disorders
Lutz, P.-E., & Kieffer, B. L. (2013) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/j.tins.2012.11.002 · Cited by 542 · see citing works
Social support at work: an integrative review
Jolly, P. M., Kong, D. T., & Kim, K. Y. (2021) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.2485 · Cited by 513 · see citing works
Agents of change: Pathways through which mentoring relationships influence adolescents’ academic adjustment
Rhodes, J. E., Grossman, J. B., & Resch, N. L. (2000) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00256 · Cited by 413 · see citing works
Autism and attachment: a meta-analytic review
Rutgers, A. H., Bakermans‐Kranenburg, M. J., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., & van Berckelaer‐Onnes, I. A. (2004) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.t01-1-00305.x · Cited by 339 · see citing works
Childhood Emotional Abuse and the Attachment System Across the Life Cycle: What Theory and Research Tell Us
Riggs, S. A. (2010) · Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1080/10926770903475968 · Cited by 336 · see citing works
Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development: A Systematic Review of the Evidence
Purewal, R., Christley, R., Kordas, K., Joinson, C., Meints, K., Gee, N., & Westgarth, C. (2017) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph14030234 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Preventive intervention for maltreated preschool children: impact on children's behavior, neuroendocrine activity, and foster parent functioning
FISHER, P. A., GUNNAR, M. R., CHAMBERLAIN, P., & REID, J. B. (2000) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-200011000-00009 · Cited by 286 · see citing works
Intergenerational transmission of warm-sensitive-stimulating parenting: a prospective study of mothers and fathers of 3-year-olds
Belsky, J., Jaffee, S. R., Sligo, J., Woodward, L., & Silva, P. A. (2005) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00852.x · Cited by 282 · see citing works
The relation between insecure attachment and child anxiety: a meta-analytic review
Colonnesi, C., Draijer, E. M., Jan J. M. Stams, G., Van der Bruggen, C. O., Bögels, S. M., & Noom, M. J. (2011) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2011.581623 · Cited by 274 · see citing works
An attachment-based model of complicated grief including the role of avoidance
Shear, K., Monk, T., Houck, P., Melhem, N., Frank, E., Reynolds, C., & Sillowash, R. (2007) · European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.1007/s00406-007-0745-z · Cited by 269 · see citing works
A systemic review of maternal wellbeing and its relationship with maternal fetal attachment and early postpartum bonding
McNamara, J., Townsend, M. L., & Herbert, J. S. (2019) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220032 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
In Airbnb we trust: Understanding consumers’ trust-attachment building mechanisms in the sharing economy
Yang, S.-B., Lee, K., Lee, H., & Koo, C. (2019) · International Journal of Hospitality Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.10.016 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
Intergenerational consequences of the Holocaust on offspring mental health: a systematic review of associated factors and mechanisms
Dashorst, P., Mooren, T. M., Kleber, R. J., de Jong, P. J., & Huntjens, R. J. C. (2019) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1654065 · Cited by 207 · see citing works
A social learning perspective: A model of parenting styles, self-regulation, perceived drinking control, and alcohol use and problems
Patock‐Peckham, J. A., Cheong, J., Balhorn, M. E., & Nagoshi, C. T. (2001) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2001.tb02349.x · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Social reward and rejection sensitivity in eating disorders: an investigation of attentional bias and early experiences
Cardi, V., Matteo, R. D., Corfield, F., & Treasure, J. (2013) · The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.3109/15622975.2012.665479 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Oxytocin and Social Relationships: From Attachment to Bond Disruption
Bosch, O. J., & Young, L. J. (2017) · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2017_10 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Compulsive sexual behavior and dysregulation of emotion
Lew-Starowicz, M., Lewczuk, K., Nowakowska, I., Kraus, S., & Gola, M. (2020) · Sexual Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.10.003 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
Parents’ phubbing and problematic mobile phone use: the roles of the parent-child relationship and children’s self-esteem
Hong, W., Liu, R.-D., Ding, Y., Oei, T. P., Zhen, R., & Jiang, S. (2019) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2019.0179 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
Comparison of maternal–and paternal–fetal attachment in Turkish couples
Ustunsoz, A., Guvenc, G., Akyuz, A., & Oflaz, F. (2010) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2009.12.006 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Attachment in the brain: adult attachment representations predict amygdala and behavioral responses to infant crying.
Riem, M. M. E., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Out, D., & Rombouts, S. A. R. B. (2012) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616734.2012.727252 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Psychological Factors Involved in Sexual Desire, Sexual Activity, and Sexual Satisfaction: A Multi-factorial Perspective.
Dosch, A., Rochat, L., Ghisletta, P., Favez, N., & Van der Linden, M. (2016) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-014-0467-z · Cited by 115 · see citing works
The international society for developmental psychobiology Sackler symposium: early adversity and the maturation of emotion circuits-a cross-species analysis
Callaghan, B. L., Sullivan, R. M., Howell, B., & Tottenham, N. (2014) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.21260 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Foundations for Young Adult Success: A Developmental Framework
Nagaoka, J., Farrington, C. A., Ehrlich, S. B., & Heath, R. D. (2015) · doi:10.59656/yd-g1389.001 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Health, Wellness, and Place Attachment During and Post Health Pandemics
Majeed, S., & Ramkissoon, H. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.573220 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Social scaffolding of human amygdala-mPFCcircuit development
Tottenham, N. (2015) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2015.1087424 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Parent-child attachment working models and self-esteem in adolescence
McCormick, C. B., & Kennedy, J. H. (1994) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/bf01537139 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Early life influences on emotional reactivity: Evidence that social enrichment has greater effects than handling on anxiety-like behaviors, neuroendocrine responses to stress and central BDNF levels
Cirulli, F., Berry, A., Bonsignore, L. T., Capone, F., D’Andrea, I., Aloe, L., Branchi, I., & Alleva, E. (2010) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.02.008 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Disturbances of Attachment and Parental Psychopathology in Early Childhood
Schechter, D. S., & Willheim, E. (2009) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.chc.2009.03.001 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Amygdala response to mother
Tottenham, N., Shapiro, M., Telzer, E. H., & Humphreys, K. L. (2012) · Developmental Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2011.01128.x · Cited by 91 · see citing works
The Relationship between Adult Attachment Orientation and Mindfulness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Stevenson, J. C., Emerson, L.-M., & Millings, A. (2017) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0733-y · Cited by 89 · see citing works
An upbringing with substance-abusing parents: Experiences of parentification and dysfunctional communication
Tedgård, E., Råstam, M., & Wirtberg, I. (2019) · Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs · doi:10.1177/1455072518814308 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Early secure attachment as a protective factor against later cognitive decline and dementia
Walsh, E., Blake, Y., Donati, A., Stoop, R., & von Gunten, A. (2019) · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnagi.2019.00161 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Social gaming: A systematic review
Gonçalves, D., Pais, P., Gerling, K., Guerreiro, T., & Rodrigues, A. (2023) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2023.107851 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Addressing Parental Bereavement Support Needs at the End of Life for Infants with Complex Chronic Conditions
Tan, J. S., Docherty, S. L., Barfield, R., & Brandon, D. H. (2012) · Journal of Palliative Medicine · doi:10.1089/jpm.2011.0357 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
The opioid system and the social brain: implications for depression and suicide
Lutz, P., Courtet, P., & Calati, R. (2020) · Journal of Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1002/jnr.24269 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
The structure of pathological narcissism and its relationships with adult attachment styles: A study of Italian nonclinical and clinical adult participants.
Fossati, A., Feeney, J., Pincus, A., Borroni, S., & Maffei, C. (2015) · Psychoanalytic Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0037175 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Interpersonal functioning in hoarding disorder: an examination of attachment styles and emotion regulation in response to interpersonal stress
Grisham, J. R., Martyn, C., Kerin, F., Baldwin, P. A., & Norberg, M. M. (2018) · Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2017.12.001 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Maternal perinatal mental health: Associations with bonding, mindfulness, and self‐criticism at 18 months’ postpartum
Brassel, A., Townsend, M. L., Pickard, J. A., & Grenyer, B. F. S. (2020) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21827 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
When grandiosity and vulnerability collide: Implicit and explicit self-esteem in patients with narcissistic personality disorder
Vater, A., Ritter, K., Schröder-Abé, M., Schütz, A., Lammers, C.-H., Bosson, J. K., & Roepke, S. (2013) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2012.07.001 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Time to hospitalization for suicide attempt by the timing of parental suicide during offspring early development
Kuramoto, S. J., Runeson, B., Stuart, E. A., Lichtenstein, P., & Wilcox, H. C. (2013) · JAMA Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.274 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Sleep architecture and sleep-related mentation in securely and insecurely attached people
McNamara, P., Pace-Schott, E. F., Johnson, P., Harris, E., & Auerbach, S. (2011) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616734.2011.553999 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
A cross-cultural comparison of teacher-student relationship quality in Chinese and Italian teachers and students
Fabris, M. A., Lin, S., & Longobardi, C. (2023) · Journal of School Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2023.101227 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
The Role Of Love Stories In Romance Scams: A Qualitative Analysis Of Fraudulent Profiles
Kopp, C., Layton, R., Sillitoe, J., & Gondal, I. (2016) · Zenodo · doi:10.5281/zenodo.56227 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
AI for Academic Success: Investigating the Role of Usability, Enjoyment, and Responsiveness in ChatGPT Adoption
Kim, M., Kim, J., Knotts, T. L., & Albers, N. D. (2025) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-025-13398-8 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Attachment anxiety predicts poor adherence to dietary recommendations: an indirect effect on weight change 1 year after gastric bypass surgery
Aarts, F., Geenen, R., Gerdes, V. E. A., van de Laar, A., Brandjes, D. P. M., & Hinnen, C. (2015) · Obesity Surgery · doi:10.1007/s11695-014-1423-7 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Psychological Adjustment of Melanoma Survivors: The Contribution of Hardiness, Attachment, and Cognitive Appraisal
Hamama-Raz, Y., & Solomon, Z. (2006) · Journal of Individual Differences · doi:10.1027/1614-0001.27.3.172 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Child maltreatment, adolescent attachment style, and dating violence: considerations in youths with borderline-to-mild intellectual disability
The MAP Research Team, Weiss, J. A., MacMullin, J., Waechter, R., & Wekerle, C. (2011) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-011-9321-x · Cited by 27 · see citing works
A randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a Nurse Home Visiting Program for Pregnant Adolescents
Fatori, D., Fonseca Zuccolo, P., Shephard, E., Brentani, H., Matijasevich, A., Archanjo Ferraro, A., Aparecida Fracolli, L., Chiesa, A. M., Leckman, J., Constantino Miguel, E., et al. (2021) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-021-93938-7 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Anxious attachment is associated with heightened responsivity of a parietofrontal cortical network that monitors peri-personal space
Nasiriavanaki, Z., Barbour, T., Farabaugh, A. H., Fava, M., Holmes, A. J., Tootell, R. B. H., & Holt, D. J. (2021) · NeuroImage: Clinical · doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102585 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Resilience by design: How nature, nurture, environment, and microbiome mitigate stress and allostatic load
Chbeir, S., & Carrión, V. (2023) · World Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.5498/wjp.v13.i5.144 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Extending the Study of Gelotophobia, Gelotophilia, and Katagelasticism in Romantic Life Toward Romantic Attachment
Brauer, K., Proyer, R. T., & Ruch, W. (2020) · Journal of Individual Differences · doi:10.1027/1614-0001/a000307 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Maternal Parenting Electronic Diary in the Context of a Home Visit Intervention for Adolescent Mothers in an Urban Deprived Area of São Paulo, Brazil: Randomized Controlled Trial
Fatori, D., Argeu, A., Brentani, H., Chiesa, A., Fracolli, L., Matijasevich, A., Miguel, E. C., & Polanczyk, G. (2020) · JMIR mHealth and uHealth · doi:10.2196/13686 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Effects of a preventive parenting intervention for divorced families on the intergenerational transmission of parenting attitudes in young adult offspring
Mahrer, N. E., Winslow, E., Wolchik, S. A., Tein, J.-Y., & Sandler, I. N. (2014) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/cdev.12258 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Neural substrates of cognitive emotion regulation: a brief review
Öner, S. (2018) · Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1080/24750573.2017.1407563 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
The Roles of Attachment to Parents and Gender in the Relationship between Parental Criticism and Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology in Adolescence
Badenes-Ribera, L., Longobardi, C., Gastaldi, F. G. M., & Fabris, M. A. (2021) · International Journal of Adolescence and Youth · doi:10.1080/02673843.2021.2011333 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Developmental Neuroscience
Hofer, M. A. (2009) · Handbook of Neuroscience for the Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1002/9780470478509.neubb001003 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Adult attachment: Its mediation role on childhood trauma and mobile phone addiction
Liang, H.-Y., Zhang, B., Jiang, H.-B., & Zhou, H.-L. (2021) · Journal of Psychology in Africa · doi:10.1080/14330237.2021.1952706 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
The protective effects of social support and family functioning on parenting stress among Hispanic/Latino/a American immigrant parents with traumatic life experiences: A mediation analysis
Maru, M., Paris, R., & Simhi, M. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22053 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
A Qualitative Investigation of a Prenatal Mindfulness Relationship-Based (PMRB) Program to Support Maternal Mental Health and Mother–Baby Relationship During Pregnancy and Post-Partum
Sansone, A., Stapleton, P., & Patching, A. (2024) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-024-02399-2 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…(Alhusen, 2008; McFarland et al., 2011), bonding (Ammaniti & Gallese, 2015; Glover et al., 2010), parental sensitivity and responsiveness (Zeanah & Zeanah, 2009), and maternal-baby postnatal relationship, particularly emotional availability (Bagner, 2010; Barfoot et al., 2017; Bowlby, 1982).”
Exploring perceptions of genetic risk and the transmission of substance use disorders
Keller, A., Bosk, E. A., Mendez, A., Greenfield, B., Flynn, C., Everett, G., Julien, F., & Michael, M. (2024) · Addiction Science & Clinical Practice · doi:10.1186/s13722-024-00470-w · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Longitudinal changes in attachment patterns of preterm infants born in a non-Western country
Zengin Akkus, P., Bahtiyar Saygan, B., Ilter Bahadur, E., Ozdemir, G., Celik, H. T., & Ozmert, E. N. (2021) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21906 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Authors: Bowlby, J.
Corresponding author: Bowlby, John
Venue: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1982-10
Volume: 52
Issue: 4
Pages: 664-678
ISSN: 0002-9432 (ISSN-L)
1939-0025
DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x
OpenAlex: W2129526419
Cited by: 2,930
References: 2
Citations by year: 2026: 248 · 2025: 313 · 2024: 281 · 2023: 262 · 2022: 237 · 2021: 217 · 2020: 193 · 2019: 162 · 2018: 131 · 2017: 113 · 2016: 113 · 2015: 71 · 2014: 72 · 2013: 53 · 2012: 54
FWCI: 5.94
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords: attachment theory, maternal deprivation, separation and loss, early childhood, personality development, psychopathology
MeSH terms: Anxiety, Separation, Child, Child, Preschool, Defense Mechanisms, Ego, Grief, Humans, Infant, Maternal Deprivation, Object Attachment, Personality Development, Research

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect.

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Cites

Cited by

Record

About these checks