History
The International Attachment Network was originally set
up because:
• It had become apparent that there was a lack of
information about the value of attachment theory in the
caring, educational and legal professions, that is, among
doctors and nurses, social workers, teachers, family lawyers,
police and probation officers
• Most psychoanalytic and psychotherapy training programmes
(with notable exceptions) excluded from their curriculum
any consideration of attachment theory and its contribution
to clinical practice
• Many departments of academic psychology did not
give much information about attachment theory
• Programmes on mental health promotion and education
were often couched in a framework which underplayed attachment
issues
Therefore, it was considered that the vacuum needed to be
filled by an organisation specifically concerned with promoting
knowledge and understanding of attachment theory and related
subjects.
A bit about Attachment Theory
(for more information and discussion, please go to Questions option)
Attachment theory has been defined as a way of understanding
why human beings tend to form specific and long-lasting relationships
with particular others and why disruptions or conflicts in
these relationships can result in psychological, psycho-somatic
and psycho-social disturbance. These conditions are necessary
throughout the life cycle but are even more important in
early childhood as they are likely to determine in very fundamental
ways the course of further personality development.
Originally, the ethological theory of attachment (currently
the most well-known theory) emerged out of the joint
work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. John Bowlby (1907-1990)
was a British psychoanalyst and child psychiatrist. Mary Ainsworth
(1913-1999) was an American developmental psychologist. Drawing
on concepts from psychoanalysis, developmental psychology,
biology, ethology, cybernetics and information processing
theory, John Bowlby formulated the basic principles of the
theory. With Mary Ainsworth. he developed research methods
to test these theories and also encouraged others to extend
this work.
The International Attachment Network believes that the work
begun by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, identifying individual
differences in patterns of attachment in young infants and
across the lifespan:
• offers an
important theoretical framework and generates hypotheses
which can be tested
• is relevant
to all people in all societies
• shows the
value of drawing upon ideas from a variety of disciplines
to enrich our understanding of human relationships
Current aims
The main objective of The
International Attachment Network is to disseminate and exchange
information
about attachment
theory and attachment-related studies. In this context, The
International Attachment Network aims to:
• Increase understanding of the Bowlby/Ainsworth
ethological theory of attachment, its origins, its empirical
basis and
its methods of investigation particularly through the Journal
Attachment & Human Development which comes free with
IAN membership (please see subscriptions page
for more detail)
• Facilitate world-wide networking between groups of people
interested in attachment relationships (please see questions for
more details about local groups).
• Encourage the establishment of local groups dedicated to
understanding attachment relationships by offering guidance
and support
• Provide fora (e.g. conferences, seminars, psychotherapy supervision
and peer consultation, website space) for discussion of the
application of these ideas (for details of events, please
go to events option)
• Keep members informed of recent theoretical developments
and encourage debate among workers in ALL caring professions
about ways in which attachment theories might inform and
enrich their understanding of the people they work with.
• Encourage the development of courses focused on
ideas about attachment, at all educational levels, with
discounts for
IAN members (please see subscriptions page for
more details)
• Provide materials for use in group discussions
of attachment theory.
• Publicise information and articles, in English
and Spanish, through its website
• Advise on how to access research on attachment
The International Attachment
Network has offices in London, Barcelona and Washington as
well as representatives in other cities and countries. The
parent section is The International Attachment Network United
Kingdom (to which many overseas members belong as well as
UK-based members).
Contact details for IAN
The International Attachment Network
1 Fairbridge Road
Islington
LONDON
N19 3EW
UK
Telephone/Fax: 44 (0)
207 281 4441
EMAIL: iattachnet@yahoo.co.uk
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