Attachment Theory and Fathers: Moving From 'Being There' to 'Being With'

Attachment theory has played an important role as a framework for exploring and explaining parent–child relationships and the impact of early relationships on child and adult development. This review focuses on our evolving understanding of attachment theory related to father–child relationships during the early childhood years. The history of research questions about fathers and the attachment process are reviewed with attention to the changing social context. A family model of attachment research as it relates to fathers is presented. The article reviews the practice literature and the application to parent and family education. A final section addresses future directions for research and practice and the integrations of family systems, neuroscience, and ecological theory with attachment theory.