Welcome

INSTITUTE FOR ATTACHMENT SCIENCE IBW

The Institute for Attachment Sciences (IBW) was founded in 2010. The IBW follows scientific principles, works evidence-based and ideology-free. The participating scientists and experts form a non-hierarchical circle. Their contributions to the IBW are based on discussion and consensus.

The aim of the IBW is to collect and assess findings of attachment sciences, and present them to a broader public in German speaking countries. Furthermore, the IBW serves as a communication platform of its members.

„Attachment“ can be viewed as a psychosocially and biologically based construct of social interaction in human communities. A secure attachment representation ist based upon communicative features like sensitivity, authenticity, adequacy, immediacy, availability and continuity. It represents an important basis of healthy self-development, communicability and relationship competence.

Important foundations of secure attachment are formed especially in the early periods of human development, i.e prenatally and in the first years of life. The experience of secure attachment in these early periods contributes to the formation of an inner working model of human relationships, that is characterized by trust (universal trust),  self esteem, empathy,  ability to compromise, to cope with stress, and resilience.

Parents as primary attachment figures normally constitute the top of attachment hierarchy. Therefore, the family is a vitally important environment for the dynamics of early attachment. Family thus is one of they key topics of the IBW.

The international scientists and experts of the IBW come from a broad range of disciplines, like psychology, psychotherapy, pedagogy, sociology, medicine and biology. They communicate flexibly, provide own publications for the IBW homepage and serve as contacts for politics, media and organisations.

Furthermore the IBW homepage informs about important meetings, events, publications and Links on the topic of attachment.

All contributions that are due to be published on the IBW homepage are reviewed in advance by a Scientific Board:

  • Prof. Dr. Matthias Franz, associate director of the Institute for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Düsseldorf, Germany
  • Dr. Rainer Böhm, Head of Socialpediatric Centre, Bielefeld, Germany
  • Leopold Bergmann, scientific journalist, Foundation Zu-Wendung für Kinder, Pforzheim, Germany

Inform yourself about the needs of children in book publications, videos, lectures and publications from research, practice and science.

Foto: Fotolia © Katya Naumova

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