Exploring bonding and attachment in Aboriginal families

Objective Bonding and attachment relationships are essential to how children develop in society. These relationships have primarily been understood through the "Attachment Theory" which frames parent-child relationships, and the ways a child can be supported to develop within a secure base. Attachment theory (M. D. S. Ainsworth, 1978; Bowlby, 1969), has extensive literature supporting its application, however, its roots are heavily tied to Eurocentric familial understandings (Choate & Tortorelli, 2022).This paper explores the experiences and knowledges of Aboriginal and culturally competent non-Aboriginal mental health professionals in relation to bonding and attachment via three research questions focused on how they conceptualise bonding and attachment, what they think needs to be better understood, and how accurately they think Attachment theory encapsulates Aboriginal family dynamics.