Attachment, Mentalizing and Trauma: Then (1992) and Now (2022)

This article reviews the current status of research on the relationship between attachment and trauma in developmental psychopathology. Beginning with a review of the major issues and the state-of-the-art in relation to current thinking in the field of attachment about the impact of trauma and the inter-generational transmission of trauma, the review then considers recent neurobiological work on mentalizing and trauma and suggests areas of new development and implications for clinical practice.

Automated summary

This article reviews the current status of research on the relationship between attachment and trauma in developmental psychopathology. It begins by examining the major issues and current thinking in attachment research regarding the impact of trauma and the transmission of trauma across generations. The article then discusses recent neurobiological studies on mentalizing and trauma, and highlights the implications for clinical practice and future development.