Attachment and Health
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth developed attachment theory in the 1960s while investigating the effects of maternal separation on infant development. The development of the Strange Situation task in 1965 by Ainsworth and Wittig allowed researchers to systematically investigate the attachment system operating between children and their parents. The Strange Situation involves separating infant-parent dyads and observing infant behaviours upon reunion. Infant behaviour tended to follow patterns, leading to the development of three attachment categories: Secure, Anxious-Avoidant, and Anxious-Resistant. In 1990, Ainsworth added a new category, championed by Mary Main, called Disorganized/Disoriented attachment, characterized by its less reliable pattern of behaviour.
Stan Tatkin
Stan Tatkin is the founder of the PACT Training Institute and the developer of PACT—A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy. PACT is an integration of neuroscience, arousal regulation, and attachment theory. This therapy modality centers on early attachment and its effect on the development of the brain and the nervous system. Also, PACT encourages couples to participate in secure-functioning relationships, even if the individuals themselves do not have secure attachment.