This book describes effective ways to conceptualize and measure attachment in 6- to 12-year-olds--a period when children are increasingly independent yet still rely on parents for care. Presented are longitudinal data that illuminate whether the quality of attachment in middle childhood can be predicted by assessments earlier in life, and what variables may explain change over time. Also examined are the implications of attachment for children's social and emotional functioning, their academic development, and the later emergence of adolescent problems.