This authoritative work provides a systematic, comprehensive overview of theory and research on adult attachment. The authors—who have been at the forefront of this rapidly growing field since the concepts of "adult attachment" and "attachment style" were first developed—trace how Bowlby and Ainsworth"s original constructs have evolved through the study of adolescents and adults. They review extant measures and analyze how attachment theory has been used to advance scientific understanding of emotions, social cognition, close relationships, psychopathology, and psychotherapy.