A strange situation indeed: Fostering leader–follower attachment security during unprecedented crisis

PurposeWe discuss how attachment theory can help leaders maintain security in their relationships with followers during crisis, using the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic as an example. We describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has undermined the typical ways leaders may have fostered secure relationships with their followers. Guided by Lewin's action research paradigm, we integrate research on attachment theory with recent research on the COVID-19 pandemic to present leader interventions to maintain attachment security in spite of the disruption caused by COVID-19. We then discuss how these propositions can guide leader interventions in other types of crisis.Design/methodology/approachAttachment theory has received considerable attention in recent years from management and leadership scholars. We extend this line of inquiry by drawing parallels between the strange situation, a now classic paradigm for researching infant–caregiver attachment systems, to understand attachment security in leader–follower relationships during times of crisis.FindingsWe find that the crises such as COVID-19 present a challenge to attachment security in leader–follower relationships. We also find that research on adult attachment in response to crises and traumatic events is relevant to understanding how leaders can foster positive relations with followers during times of crisis when physical proximity is not possible.Originality/valueWe apply attachment theory and leadership research to present a framework for leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many of our theoretical assertions and related interventions could be applied to other unprecedented crises that disrupt leader–follower relationships. Hence, our paper offers a unique lens that is centered on the attachment security within the leader–follower relationship during crisis.

Multiple Attachments of OSCs in Residential Care

This study describes evidence for multiple attachments by orphaned and separated children (OSC) to caregivers and explores predictive relationships between attachment and family social relationships. A sample of forty-three longitudinal children residing in residential care between 15 and 144 months at the time of assessment and forty-two newer-to-care children (entering one to thirteen months before testing) was interviewed in summer 2019. Caregiver attachment was measured using the IPPA Guardian scale, and family social relations were measured using the PROMIS Pediatric Family Relationships scale. Longitudinal children displayed similar attachment scores across a one-year time span regardless of whether they nominated the same or different favourite caretaker. Results are discussed in the context of evidence for multiple attachments and the way attachment can predict social relations for new but not longitudinal children. This paper supports that OSCs form multiple attachments to caregivers over time, with attachment starting and remaining relatively strong in the long-term.

Attachment as a Moderator in the Relation Between Child Maltreatment and Symptoms of Depression

Experiencing child maltreatment is a risk factor for later psychopathology; however, not all survivors of child maltreatment go on to develop mental health diagnoses. There are likely important risk factors that act as moderators interacting with child maltreatment to contribute to the development of psychopathology. The present study examined the attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance as potential moderators in the association between child maltreatment and depressive symptomatology in a sample of college students. An attachment style high in anxiety or avoidance was expected to exacerbate the effect of child maltreatment on depressive symptomatology across both primary and secondary caregiver attachment relationships. This study was conducted at a private university in the northeastern United States in a sample of college students ( N = 203; 52% male; Mage = 19.85, SDage = 2.19). Participants completed online measures of attachment, current mood symptoms, and demographic information. Two moderation models were tested, one for attachment to primary caregivers and one for attachment to secondary caregivers. Anxious attachment to primary caregivers moderated the relationship between child maltreatment and depressive symptoms ( B = −0.16, p < .01, R2 =.44). However, moderation was not significant in the secondary caregiver attachment relationship. Maladaptive attachment styles, as well as child maltreatment itself, may result in disruptions in the development of positive internal working models of the self and others and adaptive emotion regulation. In cases of child maltreatment, interventions focused on the parent–child attachment relationship may have long-lasting effects and implications for the child’s future mental health. This research highlights important areas of intervention in cases of child maltreatment as well as important differences in the anxiety and avoidance dimensions of attachment.

Development of a hospital deprescribing implementation framework: A focus group study with geriatricians and pharmacists

Background over 50% of older people in hospital are prescribed a pre-admission medicine that is potentially inappropriate; however, deprescribing by geriatricians and pharmacists is limited. This study aimed to characterise geriatricians’ and pharmacists’ barriers and enablers to deprescribing in hospital. It also intended to develop a framework of intervention components to facilitate implementation of hospital deprescribing. Methods fifty-four geriatricians and pharmacists representing four UK hospitals attended eight focus groups. We designed a topic guide to invite discussions about barriers and enablers to deprescribing. After thematic analysis, themes were mapped to the theoretical domains framework (TDF), enabling prioritisation of domains for behaviour change. We then identified evidence-based intervention components for changing behaviour within prioritised TDF domains. Results geriatricians and pharmacists described several deprescribing enablers in the hospital setting including alignment with their role and generalist knowledge, and routine patient monitoring. Five prioritised TDF domains represent the key barriers and enabler: patient and caregiver attachment to medication (social influence); perceptions that deprescribing is riskier than continuing to prescribe (beliefs about consequences); pharmacists’ working patterns limiting capacity to support deprescribing (environmental context and resources); deprescribing being a low hospital priority (goals) and incentives to deprescribe (reinforcement). Prioritised TDF domains aligned with 44 evidence-based intervention components to address the barriers and enabler to hospital deprescribing. Conclusion the behavioural determinants and their associated intervention components provide a hospital deprescribing implementation framework (hDIF). Intervention components should be selected from the hDIF to provide a theory and evidence-based intervention tailored to hospital contexts.

Foster Care

Social work has long been involved in child foster care. Though its initial involvement de-emphasized the importance of infant–caregiver attachment, Bowlby’s theory of attachment is particularly relevant for child-welfare practice. This entry chronicles the history of child foster care and describes the evolution of legislation most pertinent for the provision of foster care. The characteristics of children in foster care since 2000 and the dynamic flow of children entering and exiting care are described. A brief account of foster care services and future trends in the field are highlighted.