Future Directions

Abstract

We turn now to fruitful areas for further work, as suggested by our author’s contributions. Dr. Kidd has summarized the future efforts required in the physiological realm, emphasizing the need for naturalistic and longitudinal studies that will allow us to understand the relevance of states that have been described within structured laboratory settings. Here, we add to those insights some of the possibilities raised by other contributors. Suggested foci for further investigation are: understanding interactivity, personalizing healthcare, capturing the effects of continuous insecurity, increasing replications and generalizability, optimizing adaptation, and examining the roles of healthcare workers who may serve attachment functions. As in any active area of academic exploration, some of the most valuable work will pursue ideas that challenge and disrupt current presumptions, so we most certainly will not capture the full breadth of future projects here. However, attachment-informed medical care can only benefit from further enquiry, experimentation, and challenge.