Attachment Research & Collaboration
Attachment research continues to deepen our understanding of human development, relationships and psychological wellbeing across the lifespan. IAN works to strengthen the connection between attachment research and its application in clinical and professional practice, bringing together researchers, clinicians, academics and practitioners to encourage dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.
Research Collaboration with IAN-UK
IAN welcomes opportunities to collaborate with researchers, universities, professional organisations and other partners whose work contributes to the development, evaluation or application of attachment theory.
IAN Research Projects & Contributions
IAN has supported and contributed to research initiatives exploring attachment theory and its applications. These projects reflect IAN’s longstanding commitment to strengthening connections between research, clinical practice and professional understanding.
IAN’s engagement with research has included collaboration with professional bodies, international partners and researchers working across attachment theory, psychotherapy and mental health. Members of IAN’s Executive Committee have contributed research expertise to a range of initiatives connecting clinical practice with research.
IAN & UKCP Practitioner Research
In 2020, IAN was represented by its then Chair, Desmond King, in a UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) practice-based research initiative exploring ways of strengthening connections between psychotherapy research and clinical practice.
The initiative contributed to the published paper Bridging the Gap between Clinical Practice and Research Part I: Findings of a Pilot Study on Daniel Stern’s ‘Moments of Meeting’ from the UKCP’s Practitioner Research Network.
International Research Collaboration
IAN has also participated in international research collaboration through an EU Erasmus+ project exploring family- and community-based approaches to mental health. IAN UK contributed as a project partner, working alongside colleagues from other European countries to explore how mental health, educational, social and community resources can work together to support individuals and families.
IAN & Open Dialogue in Western Lapland
As part of IAN UK’s involvement in the EU Erasmus+ project, members of the IAN team visited Western Lapland to learn about Open Dialogue and its approach to working with people experiencing mental health difficulties.
Developed in Western Lapland, Open Dialogue emphasises collaborative conversations involving the individual, their family and wider support network alongside mental health professionals. Rather than separating clinical decision-making from the individual and their relationships, the approach seeks to involve those concerned directly in conversations about care and treatment.
IAN representatives Roxana Parra, Jonathan Lloyd and Nicolás Lorenzini observed Open Dialogue groups and reflected on the approach through the perspective of attachment theory and relational practice.
Developing IAN’s Research & Collaboration
IAN is committed to strengthening its contribution to attachment research and to developing new opportunities for collaboration between researchers, clinicians and practitioners.
We are particularly interested in work that advances understanding of attachment across the lifespan, strengthens the evidence base for attachment-informed practice, and explores how attachment research can be translated responsibly into clinical, professional and wider social contexts.
IAN welcomes conversations with researchers, universities, professional organisations and potential research partners interested in developing collaborative projects.
Explore Attachment Research
Explore IAN’s wider work in attachment theory, research and professional learning, including articles and resources written by clinicians, researchers and members of the attachment community.