Healthy Parenting in the Age of the Genome: Nature or Nurture?

Abstract

In 1969, John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth established the Attachment Theory, according to which secure attachment between child and caregiver is strongly associated with better future outcomes regarding self‐esteem, social competence and empathy and vice versa.[1] It is now well‐established that good parenting and a caring maternal behavior are essential for the psychologically healthy development of offspring.[2,3]