According to Rutter, the importance of Bowlby's initial writings on "maternal deprivation" lay in his emphasis that children's experiences of interpersonal relationships were crucial to their psychological development.
Ifølge Rutter betydningen af ​​Bowlby indledende skrifter om "maternal deprivation 'lå i sin vægt, at børns erfaringer med interpersonelle relationer var afgørende for deres psykiske udvikling.