Min tidigare lektorstjänst var huvudsakligen fokuserad på kursledarskap för, och undervisning på, två olika kurser i utvecklingspsykologi, för studenter på psykologprogrammet. Jag har dock även undervisat på andra kurser, t.ex gällande exekutiva funktioner och ADHD.

Jag startade tillsammans med Pehr Granqvist en kurs i anknytning (Advanced Attachment factory and Journal Club) för doktorander och forskare vid institutionen.

Min forskning vid institutionen har två olika spår. Jag har dock ett särkilt intresse för anknytningsteori, vilket delvis förenar de två olika spåren.

Forskning om tillämpning av anknytningsteori

Mitt ena forskningsspår handlar om hur anknytningsteori, forskning och bedömningar används i socialt arbete, framförallt i barnavårdsutredningar och vårdsnadsutredningar. Jag koordinerade 2021 ett internationellt konsensusyttrande om detta – "attachment goes to court" – i vilket vi blev hela 70 forskare från mer än 20 länder och alla världsdelar (Forslund et al., 2021a). Syftet var, givet utbredd oro kring felanvändning av anknytningsteori, att ge uppderad kunskap om relevant teori och forskning, motverka missförstånd, ge rekommendationer kring tillämpning, och notera viktiga frågor för framtida forskning.

Jag har därefter fortsatt diskutera dessa frågor i ett specialnummer av en tidskrift (Forslund et al., 2021b). Eftersom konsensusyttrandet hade ett huvudsakligen psykologiskt fokus, så utvidgade jag detta genom att diskutera användning av anknytningsteori i ljuset av juridiska "admissibility criteria for evidence in court". Temat var vårdnadsutredningar, men slutsatserna är i stort tillämpbara även på barnavårdsutredningar.

Jag har därefter gjort en empirisk studie kring hur teorin uppfattas och används av socialarbetare som gör barnavårdsutredningar (Hammarlund et al., 2022). Denna studie är en av mycket få systematiska studier i ämnet. Studien indikerade att anknytningsteori används i stor utsträckning, och att det finns utbredda missförstånd om teorin och hur den kan tillämpas. Studien var dock deskriptiv och ytterligare forskning behövs. Jag arbetar nu, tillsammans med doktorand Freja Isohanni (och Pehr Granqvist och Azadé Azad) med en intervjustudie, för att utvidga denna forskning.

Jag arbetar med olika ansökningar för att utvidga denna forskning. Jag arbetar också med kunskapsspridning om anknytning. Detta är viktigt eftersom en anledning till missförstånd kring anknytning, och svårigheter att tillämpa teorin, är att vi forskare kommunicerat otillräckligt med de som använder teorin. Jag har bland annat publicerat en bok, tillsammans med en kollega vid Cambridge (Robbie Duschinsky). Jag har också skrivit artiklar på svenska i tidskrifter riktade till praktiker, intervjuats i Radio och TV, och föreläser ofta för praktiker. Jag är också med i olika internationella samarbeten, för vidare forskning samt kunskapsspridning. Avslutningsvis så utvecklar jag en kurs i anknytningsteori, tillsammans med ITB, som kommer att erbjudas till praktiker.

Forskning om föräldrar med kognitiva svårigheter och deras barn

Mitt andra spår handlar om föräldrabeteende hos föräldrar med kognitiva svårigheter, deras barns utveckling och påverkansfaktorer. Detta har tidigare främst handlat om föräldrar med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning (IF), men inkluderar nu även föräldrar med ADHD och föräldrar med Autism (ASD). Jag har tillsammans med professor Pehr Granqvist två anslag (VR, FORTE) för ett projekt som undersöker anknytningsrepresentationer hos mödrar med IF eller ADHD, tillsammans med olika påverkansfaktorer. Doktorand Mårten Hammarlund arbetar på detta projekt. Data är insamlad och vi håller nu på med analysarbete och avrapportering.

Projektet bygger på ett tidigare forskningsprojekt, om mödrar med lindrig IF, som jag genomfört tillsammans med Pehr Granqvist (PI). Detta projekt har än så länge resulterat i fyra artiklar, kring (1) mödrarnas lyhördhet, (2) mödrarnas förmåga att identifiera emotionella ansiktsuttryck, samt (3) anknytningsrepresentationer och (4) beteendeproblem hos deras barn. Mödrarnas egna erfarenheter av övergrepp, vanvård och trauma framkom som en central påverkansfaktor, och sådana erfarenheter var tyvärr mycket vanliga.

Mårten Hammarlund, Pehr Granqvist och jag har därför också gjort en systematisk kunskapsöversikt om hur vanligt det är med sådana erfarenheter hos dessa föräldrar, samt huruvuda sådana erfarenheter är associerade med föräldraskap och barns utveckling.

Jag har också forskningsmedel, tillsammans med ett antal forskare från andra lärosäten, för en studie som utvärderar ett hembaserat föräldrastödsprogram (Parenting young children; PYC) för föräldrar med kognitiva svårigheter.

Jag har även publicerat en intervjustudie om hur föräldrar med IF upplevde Covid-19-pandemin, med fokus på deras föräldraskap.

Min forskning kring föräldrar med kognitiva svårigheter har underlättats av hjälp från SUF Kunskapscentrum (Region Uppsala). SUF har sedan det första projektet, genom sitt breda kontaktnät med praktiker som möter målgruppen, t.ex. stöttat rekrytering. Sedan 2021 har jag även en tjänst som forskare vid SUF.

I urval från Stockholms universitets publikationsdatabas

• Concepts travel faster than thought: an empirical study of the use of attachment classifications in child protection investigations

  2022. Mårten Hammarlund (et al.). Attachment & Human Development 24 (6), 712-731

  Artikel

  Scholarly discussion suggests prevalent, overconfident use of attachment classifications in child protection (CP) investigations but no systematic research has examined actual prevalence, the methods used to derive such classifications, or their interpretations. We aimed to cover this gap using survey data from a nationally representative sample of Swedish CP workers (N = 191). Three key findings emerged. First, the vast majority formed an opinion about young children's attachment quality in all or most investigations. Second, most did not employ systematic assessments, and none employed well-validated attachment methods. Third, there was overconfidence in the perceived implications of attachment classifications. For example, many believed that insecure attachment is a valid indicator of insufficient care. Our findings illustrate a wide researcher-practitioner gap. This gap is presumably due to inherent difficulties translating group-based research to the level of the individual, poor dissemination of attachment theory and research, and infrastructural pressures adversely influencing the quality of CP investigations.

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• Experiences of Interpersonal Trauma Among Parents With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

  2022. Mårten Hammarlund, Pehr Granqvist, Tommie Forslund. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

  Artikel

  Research has suggested highly elevated levels of interpersonal trauma (IPT) among parents with intellectual disabilities (ID), and that such experiences may contribute to the caregiving and child developmental problems often seen in this population. Conflicting results have however been reported, and there is no systematic review on this matter. This study therefore systematically reviewed the empirical evidence concerning (a) prevalence of IPT among parents with ID, and links with (b) caregiving-relevant and (c) child developmental outcomes, in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PTSDpubs. Peer-reviewed empirical articles reporting exposure to any form of systematically assessed IPT (unspecified IPT, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect, prolonged childhood separations from caregivers, witnessing abuse in the family) among parents with ID were included, yielding a final selection of 20 studies. Findings consistently indicated markedly elevated levels of IPT among parents with ID, with a majority (>50%) having experienced some form of IPT. Estimates for both unspecified and specific forms were typically higher than corresponding estimates in other groups at elevated risk, and than meta-analytical general population estimates in comparable countries. Findings regarding caregiving-relevant outcomes were mixed but indicated links with adverse outcomes, particularly regarding parental mental health. Reports pertaining to child developmental outcomes were scant and inconsistent. We highlight important limitations in the extant literature and provide directions for future research and clinical practice. 

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• Parents with intellectual disability reporting on factors affecting their caregiving in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

  2022. Tommie Forslund, Stina Fernqvist, Helena Tegler. JARID

  Artikel

  Background: Parents with intellectual disability are vulnerable to parenting stress and overwhelming life events. The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a potentially overwhelming event, but there is little knowledge concerning the effects on parents' caregiving. The present study aimed to fill this gap.

  Method: Semi-structured interviews with 10 Swedish parents with intellectual disability were analysed using thematic analysis.

  Results: One broad caregiving-related theme: increased caregiving demands and reduced resources for coping resulting in strained parent–child interactions and relationships. Four subthemes highlighted influential factors: pandemic information, professional support, social relationships and informal support, and children's school activities. Strained parent–child interactions were particularly common in the absence of adapted pandemic information, if professional and informal support were compromised, and if the parents had dealt with school-related changes.

  Conclusions: Findings support contextual models of caregiving and a stress-resources perspective, and emphasise the importance of adapted information and support to parents with intellectual disability during crises.

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• Attachment goes to court

  2022. Tommie Forslund (et al.). Attachment & Human Development 24 (1), 1-52

  Artikel

  Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.

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• How Does Temperament in Toddlers at Elevated Likelihood for Autism Relate to Symptoms of Autism and ADHD at Three Years of Age?

  2022. Linn Andersson Konke (et al.). Journal of autism and developmental disorders 52, 995-1006

  Artikel

  The current study investigated longitudinal associations between parent-rated temperament, observed exuberance and accelerometer activity level at 18-months and symptoms of ASD and ADHD at 36-months in a sample of 54 children at elevated likelihood for ASD. For the specific parent-rated temperament scales, most observed significant associations appeared to be specific for either ASD or ADHD symptoms. Indeed, by controlling for overlapping symptoms a different pattern of associations emerged. These results illustrate how temperamental measures may signal risk for later ASD versus ADHD symptomatology in infants at elevated likelihood for ASD. In addition, they indicate the potential of adopting a broader view on neurodevelopmental disorders by investigating not only ASD traits, but also co-occurring disorders such as ADHD in samples of elevated likelihood for ASD.

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• Attachment Theory and Research

  2021. .

  Bok (red)

  As interest in attachment theory continues to grow, misconceptions of the theory are becoming increasingly common. Important texts on major theoretical and empirical contributions are often too extensive for non-specialist readers or not readily available to clinicians. Designed to address a significant gap in literature, Attachment Theory and Research: A Readerpresents a carefully curated selection of book chapters and journal articles on the subject—complemented by previously unpublished material by the founder of the theory. This valuable new resource provides practitioners, students, policymakers, and general readers an accessible and up-to-date view of the concepts, development, and diversity of attachment theory.

  The Reader comprises 15 succinct chapters by many of the most influential researchers in the theory, covering the basis of attachment theory and the current state of the field. The book brings together a wide range of works, many of which challenge common assumptions and offer intriguing new insights on attachment theory and research. Topics include psychoanalytic theories of separation anxiety, concepts of anxiety, stress, and homeostasis, the origins of disorganized attachment, cultural differences in caregiving practices, reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), the future prospects of attachment theory, and more.

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• Children’s Multiple Attachment Relationships and Representations in Different Family Contexts

  2021. Fabien Bacro, Tommie Forslund, Pehr Granqvist. Attachment Theory and Research, 228-239

  Kapitel

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• El Apego Va a Juicio: Problemas de Custodia y Protección Infantil

  2021. Tommie Forslund (et al.). Anuario de psicología jurídica 32 (1), 115-139

  Artikel

  Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. This article is divided into two parts. In the first part, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child's need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.

  Läs mer om El Apego Va a Juicio: Problemas de Custodia y Protección Infantil

• Introduction

  2021. Tommie Forslund, Robbie Duschinsky. Attachment Theory and Research, 1-10

  Kapitel

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• Mothers With Mild Levels of Intellectual Disability

  2021. Mårten Hammarlund, Pehr Granqvist, Tommie Forslund. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 126 (4), 341-356

  Artikel

  Prior research indicates links between parents' experiences of interpersonal trauma and emotion-interpretation difficulties, and between such difficulties and child attachment insecurity and disorganization. Although mothers with mild levels of intellectual disability (ID) are at heightened risk for trauma and emotion-interpretation difficulties, and their children for attachment insecurity, corresponding links in this population have not been examined. We therefore investigated emotional interpretations among mothers with mild levels of ID (n = 23) and matched comparison mothers without ID (n = 25), in relation to mothers' experiences of trauma and their children's attachment representations. Mothers with mild levels of ID were not less accurate than comparison mothers with regard to general positive and negative emotion-interpretation accuracy, but they were significantly more likely to misinterpret shame and anger. Among mothers with mild levels of ID, misinterpretations of shame were positively related to maternal experiences of trauma, and to child attachment insecurity and disorganization.

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• Admissibility of attachment theory, research and assessments in child custody decision‐making? Yes and No!

  2021. Tommie Forslund, Mårten Hammarlund, Pehr Granqvist. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 2021 (180), 125-140

  Artikel

  Attachment theory, research, and assessments have become increasingly applied to settle child custody cases. We discuss such applications in relation to admissibility criteria for scientific evidence and testimony proposed by Faigman et al. (2014). We argue that attachment theory and research can provide valid “framework evidence”; group-based attachment research has yielded general principles suitable as a frame of reference for pertinent court decisions. In particular, child custody decision-making should generally be guided by research indicating that children benefit from attachment networks. In contrast, assessments of attachment quality fall short of providing valid “diagnostic evidence”; information that a specific individual/dyad is a “true” instance of a general group-level principle. In particular, such assessments do not yield valid information about whether a particular caregiver has better caregiving skills than another caregiver and will better support child development. We conclude that attachment theory and research should be admissible for framework but not for diagnostic testimony.

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