SUNY Polytechnic Institute Professor and Coordinator of the Psychology Program, Dr. Kazuko Behrens, is bringing international attention to one of the most influential frameworks in developmental psychology: attachment theory.

Dr. Behrens recently served as guest editor for a special issue of a high-impact journal Attachment & Human Development, titled “John Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment and Separation: Revisiting His Original Visions After 50+ Years, What We Know Today, and Where to Go From Here?” The issue commemorates the 50th anniversary of Bowlby’s groundbreaking work on separation and explores the enduring impact of attachment theory in the face of contemporary challenges, including migration, foster care, and global conflict.

In her editorial introduction, Dr. Behrens and colleagues highlight how Bowlby’s insights on the risks of caregiver – child separation remain strikingly relevant today. The collection of six studies featured in the issue spans diverse contexts, from children left behind due to parental labor migration, to Syrian refugees separated from fathers, to adopted children in foster care—underscoring the critical role of uninterrupted attachment relationships in shaping well-being.

“Separation continues to shape the lives of millions of children worldwide,” Dr. Behrens noted. “This special issue seeks not only to revisit Bowlby’s vision but also to chart new directions for research and clinical practice that can help families heal and thrive.”

Beyond her editorial leadership, Dr. Behrens is widely recognized as an expert in mother–child attachment. In particular, she is one of a less than dozen certified Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) trainers in the world. The AAI is one of the most validated attachment measures and she has been hosted an AAI training workshop overseas nearly annually in the past several years.  Her research focuses on how early attachment relationship assessed by the AAI predicts the next generation's attachment security. Dr. Behrens has been conducting a study with local mothers and infants in the Mohawk Valley, deepening our understanding of these critical relationships. She is continuing to recruit participants and expand this work, with the goal of advancing both scholarly knowledge and community well-being.