Place Attachment in Adolescence

The concept of attachment in psychology, particularly in child and adolescent development, usually refers to theories and studies by Bowlby (1969) and others on emotional attachments to parents in early childhood and to peers and other relevant people in later childhood and adolescence. This essay will present a different form of attachment: attachment to places. Focusing on nonsocial and non-mutual attachments may seem to conflict with Bowlby’s concept of attachment, but it can be considered an extension of it. Although no one can deny the importance of bonds with primary caregivers, one develops different forms of attachments during ones’ lifetime – with people, groups, places, objects – that are also important. The importance of place attachment, especially during adolescence, a key developmental period for the formation of both identity and attachments beyond the immediate family, is in line with the new frontiers of developmental psychology, which aim to understand the ecological impact of different contexts, not only proximal and dyadic, but also distal and at higher levels of analysis, on youth’s development and well-being. After introducing the main definitions and some controversial measurement issues, the essay will present key findings in adolescent research and some ideas for interventions relating to adolescents’ attachment to places.