Linking theory and research to practice: The Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and the STEEP™ program

Abstract

Twenty-nine years ago Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (MLSPC) was launched at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. It was one of the first prospective longitudinal studies of how parent – infant attachment develops, how it changes over time, and how the quality of attachment in infancy influences long-term development. Findings from this study have been published widely in journals, books, and conference papers (a complete list of publications is available from the authors or on the web at www.cyfc.umn.edu). In this article the authors discuss the theory that has guided the research, summarise critical findings from the 29 years and illustrate how this research has been used to inform and shape preventive intervention for parents and infants in high-risk circumstances.