Culturally Diverse Parenting: Deconstructing Attachment Theory

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to explore the general principles of attachment theory in the context of culturally diverse parenting practices, analyze its systemic impact on culturally diverse families, and describe its implications to the field of speech-language pathology. Method: Attachment theory emphasizes the general principles of proximity, safety, and secure base. These values are known to promote healthy parent–child relationships that influence long-term developmental outcomes. However, systems based on attachment theory, which are premised in Eurocentric parenting practices, may often misinterpret or overlook culturally diverse parenting styles. Such misunderstandings can have serious socio-legal implications on families from culturally diverse backgrounds and can lead to paradigmatic influences in clinical contexts relating to communication development. Conclusions: A cultural basis for attachment questions the fixed notions of attachment theory and emphasizes the need for alternative frameworks to understand parental sensitivity, secure base, and proximity. As attachment theory has influenced norms and expectations in parent–child communication development, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will benefit from recognizing this bias and its influence on culturally and linguistically diverse families. Understanding socially diverse parenting styles can provide SLPs with meaningful information on the importance of cultural variability in parent–child attachment, so that clinical assessment and intervention practices incorporate culturally responsive parenting frameworks.