Relazioni precoci, esperienze avverse e attaccamento: traiettorie evolutive e psicopatologiche

This paper takes account of a series of longitudinal studies conducted from childhood to young adulthood in the area of research on attachment and trends in developmental psychopathology. Taken together, the results give evidence of the profound impact exerted by early relational experiences that the child has lived out with parents and caregivers – considered in their expression as models of attachment – on socio-emotional development and possible psychopathological trajectories. In this perspective, early experiences sketch out a «secure» legacy from which subjective development is launched – but also, whenever these experiences are adverse, crucial competencies for such development can be impaired. In this regard, the role played by disorganized attachment is emphasized, as well as that played by adverse experiences such as mistreatment and neglect, leading to psychopathological and maladaptive results, which raises important questions regarding the dimensions of both clinical intervention and prevention