ABSTRACT

Infant attachment theory is now nearly seventy-years old. Despite debates that developed around the original theory relating to the role of the mother and the potential for emotional flexibility in the infant, its core thesis of the role of the ‘Internal Working Model’ in human mental health endures. Recent neurophysiological research reveals complex relationships between stress biology and infant attachment. In this article, attachment theory is summarised from its origins to its currently emerging relationship with neurophysiology, and implications for policy are discussed. Emergent concepts include the indication that insecure relationships in infancy have the potential to impact upon lifelong mental health, and that contemporary UK policy does not give enough weight to this finding when planning care and social strategies for infants and their families. This article attempts to bring together a cohesive picture of research across neurophysiology, psychology and practice to inform future policy development.

摘要

婴儿依恋理论现在已经近七十岁了。尽管围绕母亲角色和婴儿情绪灵活性潜力的原始理论展开了辩论，但其关于“内部工作模式”在人类心理健康中的作用的核心论点仍然存在。最近的神经生理学研究揭示了压力生物学和婴儿依恋之间的复杂关系。本文从依恋理论的起源到目前与神经生理学的关系进行了总结，并讨论了对政策的影响。新兴概念包括表明婴儿期不安全的关系有可能影响终生心理健康的迹象，并且在为婴儿及其家庭规划护理和社会策略时，当代英国的政策并没有给予这一发现足够的重视。本文试图将神经生理学、心理学和实践的研究结合起来，为未来的政策发展提供信息。