Working toward anti-racist perspectives in attachment theory, research, and practice

Abstract

Recent social movements have illuminated systemic inequities in U.S. society, including within the social sciences. Thus, it is essential that attachment researchers and practitioners engage in reflection and action to work toward anti-racist perspectives in the field. Our aims in this paper are (1) to share the generative conversations and debates that arose in preparing the Special Issue of Attachment & Human Development, "Attachment Perspectives on Race, Prejudice, and Anti-Racism"; and (2) to propose key considerations for working toward anti-racist perspectives in the field of attachment. We provide recommendations for enriching attachment theory (e.g. considering relations between caregivers' racial-ethnic socialization and secure base provision), research (e.g. increasing the representation of African American researchers and participants), and practice (e.g. advocating for policies that reduce systemic inequities in family supports). Finally, we suggest two relevant models integrating attachment theory with perspectives from Black youth development as guides for future research.

A Call to Action: Using and Extending Human-Centered Design Methodologies to Improve Mental and Behavioral Health Equity

“…Such education would promote considerations of larger contexts for users. A recent example of expanding contextual considerations is Stern et al ( 34 ) adaptation of Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model to focus on Black youth development and attachment processes. Relating to this education, teams should frequently be reflecting on whether and how the design and research are serving their potential end users and practice reflexivity in recognizing when researchers are speaking for end users ( 4 ).…”

Dismantling systems of racism and oppression during adolescence: An agenda for anti‐racist research

“…We believe the strategies we have outlined can be useful for this process of self‐reflection and critique of one's own work and can guide the conceptualization, design, and dissemination of research on adolescent development. Our work is certainly not an authoritative source and should be considered alongside other work that is also advancing anti‐racism in the study of child and adolescent development (Bruno & Iruka, 2022; Cooper, Hurd & Loyd, 2022; Kornbluh et al, 2021a, 2021b; Outley & Blyth, 2020; Stern et al, 2022), psychology (Buchanan et al, 2021), and other fields (Chaudhary & Behre, 2020; Palmer et al, 2022; Smile & Williams, 2021). We also recognize that some researchers, especially those of us who were trained in more “traditional” modes of conducting research, may have some negative or defensive reactions to these recommendations.…”

“…Inside of my Home, I was Getting a Full Dose of Culture”: Exploring the Ecology of Indigenous Peoples’ Development Through Stories

“…However, the exact order of these environments is where the Indigenist model diverges; historical contexts, then cultural contexts, are central to the development of Native peoples. The remaining environments in the Indigenist model include immediate, surrounding, and distant environments (see Figure 1; Stern et al, 2021). This repositioning signifies that Native peoples have histories and cultures that serve as sources of strength and contextualize their developmental outcomes, and opposes deficit-based and risk-focused approaches that dominate research on Native peoples' development (Bryant et al, 2021;Gone & Kirmayer, 2020).…”