Problems; Theories IDENTIFIERS Attachment Disorders; *Security of Attachment

Noting that there has been little research attention on the ability of foster children to form emotional attachments, this literature review looks at available research related to attachment and children in foster care. The review suggests that foster children are at risk for insecure attachment due to experiences of abuse and neglect, parental substance abuse, and repeated separations from primary caregivers. The review also maintains that there is sufficient evidence to indicate that these poor early attachments may lead to relational and other problems as foster children grow older. Despite limitations in experimental design such as inconsistent definitions of attachment and the use of nonstandardized measures, the review finds significant cause for concern, particularly in light of the increasing number of children entering the foster care system. The review concludes with a discussion of implications for foster care policy and recommendations for future research. (Contains 89 references.) (KB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document