Bonding as a Cornerstone for Positive Youth Development

Abstract

Attachment describes how parent-child bonding serves as an internal model that affects the child’s future relationship with others. The development of attachment would seem to be a necessary, universal biopsychosocial requirement to be found in all cultures under normal circumstances as a species-specific consequence of our phylogenetic heritage. However, there are cultural differences since the biological system of attachment is interwoven with cultural practices. In this chapter, different perspectives and theories on attachment will be presented. Particularly, development of adolescents’ bonding will be examined in relation to parents, romantic partners, and teachers. Finally, results from cross-cultural studies on attachment are critically examined; not only differences across cultures exist, but also wide variation within a given culture is sometimes reported.