According to attachment theory, the experiences of middle childhood (ages six to 12) are as vital as all others in this cradle-to-grave process, in which secure attachments lead to positive social behaviors throughout life. However, little exists in the literature about attachment in middle childhood. The contributors of these 12 aim to rectify this situation by presenting their research on such topics as the ontogeny of attachment in middle childhood, developmental contexts, assessment, conceptual and methodological issues in the attachment hierarchy, the dimensions of attachments, coherence as an indicator of attachment, predicting later behavior, the effect of attachment on psychosocial functioning and school relationships, and include a survey article and a longitudinal study. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)