Examining Circle of Security™: A Review of Research and Theory
Abstract
The Circle of Security™ interventions are psychosocial treatments intended to increase maternal sensitivity and thus child attachment security in infants and young children. A small number of publications have reported empirical research on outcomes of these treatments. This article reviews the research evidence, plausibility, theoretical background, and generalizability of Circle of Security, and concludes that these interventions are plausible emerging treatments, presently weakly supported by research evidence, but potentially able to receive support from further research. The commercialization of Circle of Security is discussed as a possible obstacle to independent research. The current level of research support is described as similar to support for other interventions for young children.
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Parenting programs that strengthen positive parenting skills have been found effective at improving parent-child interactions, child well-being and other family outcomes.
“Programs that focus on enhancing these parenting skills have been found to be efficacious for improving positive parent-child interactions, child well-being, and a range of other outcomes among families (e.g., Triple P-Positive Parenting Program (PPP) : Prinz, Sanders, Shapiro, Whitaker, & Lutzker, 2009. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) : Chaffin et al., 2004. Circle of Security: Mercer, 20”
From Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Opportunities: Parenting, Programs, and the Reduction of Risk (2018) · cites this paper as Mercer, 2015
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“Definitions of the highest level of research evidence, allowing an outcome study to be described as ‘‘evidence based,’’ include the criterion of existing replication by an independent researcher (Chambless & Hollon, 1998).”
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Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Opportunities: Parenting, Programs, and the Reduction of Risk
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- Authors
- Mercer, J.
- Affiliations
- Stockton University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mercer, Jean
- ORCID
- Mercer, Jean
- Venue
- Research on Social Work Practice
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2014-06-16
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 382-392
- ISSN
- 1049-7315 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7581
- OpenAlex
- W2071927557
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 4.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research on Social Work Practice (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Therapy and Development
- Keywords
- Circle of Security, psychosocial interventions, maternal sensitivity, research evidence, treatment generalizability, emerging treatments
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