Although not without its critics, attachment theory has been described as the dominant approach to understanding early social development and it has given rise to a great surge of empirical research into the formation of children's close relationships.
Selvom ikke uden kritikere, tilknytnings teori er blevet beskrevet som den dominerende tilgang til at forstå tidlig social udvikling og for at have givet anledning til en stor bølge af empirisk forskning i dannelsen af ​​børns nære relationer.