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Social Sciences and Childhood
2026. Vol. 7, no. 1, 62–81
doi:10.17759/ssc.2026070104
ISSN: 2713-0584 (online)

Attachment theory in the context of family counseling: contemporary international approaches to working with parent-child and marital dyads

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. Counseling focused on marital and parent-child relationships is a complex area of practice requiring robust theoretical frameworks for navigating dyadic processes. In recent years, attachment theory has emerged as one of the most comprehensive frameworks for socio-emotional development, serving as a foundation for numerous contemporary psychotherapeutic approaches. Objective. To systematize findings from contemporary international research on the application of attachment theory within family counseling for parent-child and marital dyads. Hypothesis. The integration of attachment theory into family counseling enhances the efficacy of interventions addressing dyadic issues. Methods and materials. An analytical review of international and domestic literature published between 2000 and 2024 was conducted. The literature search was performed using peer-reviewed databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) with the keywords: "attachment theory", "family counseling", "family therapy". Inclusion criteria included empirical studies evaluating protocol efficacy published in peer-reviewed journals. Results. Key approaches (ABFT, EFFT, attachment-based narrative therapy) demonstrating efficacy in addressing adolescent depression, suicide risk, and marital distress were identified. The fulfillment of needs for security and emotional accessibility was established as a key mediator of therapeutic change, whereas neglecting attachment styles reduces the predictive success of interventions. Conclusions. Attachment theory constitutes a valid methodological framework for family psychotherapy. It is recommended to incorporate attachment style assessment into standard family counseling protocols to increase the precision of intervention targets and improve the psychological well-being of family members.

General Information

Keywords: attachment theory, family counseling, psychotherapy, parent-child relationships, marital and family discord

Journal rubric: Age-Related Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/ssc.2026070104

Received 09.02.2026

Revised 23.03.2026

Accepted

Published

For citation: Kozlov, M.Y. (2026). Attachment theory in the context of family counseling: contemporary international approaches to working with parent-child and marital dyads. Social Sciences and Childhood, 7(1), 62–81. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/ssc.2026070104

© Kozlov M.Y., 2026

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Mikhail Y. Kozlov, Medical Psychologist of the Department of Medical and Psychological Assistance, Psychiatric Clinical Hospital No. 4 named after P.B. Gannushkin of the Moscow City Department of Health, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3957-1535, e-mail: 42oi33@mail.ru

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

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