Attachment & Development Research
This section summarizes peer-reviewed research on attachment security, early child development, and parent-child bonding after separation. These findings help inform parenting plans, overnight decisions, and co-parenting approaches.
Supporting Father Involvement to Improve Outcomes for Children
Pruett, Cowan, Cowan, Pradhan, Robins, & Pruett (2016)
This chapter explains the unique developmental role fathers play, how restrictive gatekeeping can limit children’s access to those benefits, and what research shows about overnight care for children under three. It also reviews evidence-based co-parenting programs—including SFI—that improve cooperation before and after separation.
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Fathers provide distinct, essential benefits to children.
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Gatekeeping can reduce father involvement and harm child adjustment.
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Challenges with overnights for under-3s relate more to conflict than to overnights themselves.
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Co-parenting interventions strengthen both parent roles and reduce conflict.
Study Title(Year)
Authors, Authors and more
Authors(YEAR)
A brief summary of the study will appear here. This section will include one to two sentences explaining the purpose of the research and its relevance to parenting, attachment, or child development. The summary will be concise, parent-friendly, and easy to understand.
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Placeholder finding #1 describing a major takeaway from the study
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Placeholder finding #2 highlighting a relevant outcome
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Placeholder finding #3 summarizing an important implication
Read Full Study →
Study Title(Year)
Authors, Authors and more
Authors(YEAR)
A brief summary of the study will appear here. This section will include one to two sentences explaining the purpose of the research and its relevance to parenting, attachment, or child development. The summary will be concise, parent-friendly, and easy to understand.
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Placeholder finding #1 describing a major takeaway from the study
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Placeholder finding #2 highlighting a relevant outcome
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Placeholder finding #3 summarizing an important implication
Read Full Study →
Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report
Warshak, R. A. (2014)
This consensus paper — endorsed by 110 child-development experts — reviews research on attachment, overnight parenting, and parenting plans for infants and toddlers. The report concludes that young children benefit from frequent, meaningful contact with both parents, and that overnights can support healthy attachment when caregiving is stable.
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Infants and toddlers are capable of forming secure attachments to both parents.
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Regular contact, including overnights, preserves attachment bonds and reduces separation stress.
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Age-based bans on overnights lack empirical support.
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Parental conflict—not overnights—is the primary risk factor for poor child outcomes.
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Parenting plans should avoid unnecessarily restricting one parent’s involvement.
Study Title(Year)
Authors, Authors and more
Authors(YEAR)
A brief summary of the study will appear here. This section will include one to two sentences explaining the purpose of the research and its relevance to parenting, attachment, or child development. The summary will be concise, parent-friendly, and easy to understand.
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Placeholder finding #1 describing a major takeaway from the study
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Placeholder finding #2 highlighting a relevant outcome
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Placeholder finding #3 summarizing an important implication
Read Full Study →
Study Title(Year)
Authors, Authors and more
Authors(YEAR)
A brief summary of the study will appear here. This section will include one to two sentences explaining the purpose of the research and its relevance to parenting, attachment, or child development. The summary will be concise, parent-friendly, and easy to understand.
-
Placeholder finding #1 describing a major takeaway from the study
-
Placeholder finding #2 highlighting a relevant outcome
-
Placeholder finding #3 summarizing an important implication
Read Full Study →