Why choose Connect?

Adolescence involves increasing autonomy alongside continuing needs for connection, safety and guidance. Connect works through the parent–youth relationship to support both developmental independence and secure connection.

Research and program evaluation are integral parts of the Connect Attachment Programs. Through ongoing program evaluation procedures, we continue to assess program fit, effectiveness, and outcomes.

A large longitudinal study followed 690 parents of 527 youth at 6 time points, from pre-treatment through 18-month follow-up. We found

  • Significant reductions in youth internalizing and externalizing problems

  • Reductions in attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance)

  • Improvements in parenting efficacy, caregiver strain, and family

Connect was rated by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse (CEBC) and given a Scientific Rating of 1 (Well Supported by Research Evidence) and a Child Welfare System Relevance Level of Medium.

For more information, click here.

For more publications and research evidence, see the Adolescent Health Lab website or Dr. Moretti’s Google Scholar

Recent Publications

Liu, H., Bao, L., Kristen, A., Vu, A. T., & Moretti, M. (2026). A Pilot Study of an Attachment-Based Parenting Intervention for Mandarin-Speaking Families in Canada. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 31(2), 666–680. Click here.

Bao, L., Kristen, A., Liu, H., Dys, S., & Moretti, M. M. (2025). A Pilot Study of an Attachment-Based Parenting Intervention for Parents of Adolescents in China: Translation, Modifications, and Preliminary Effectiveness. Family Process. Click here.

Ranahan, P., Hssayki, R., Liu, H., Dys, S., & Moretti, M. M. (2025). Traversing Towards Connection: A Grounded Theory of Father Engagement in Parenting Interventions for Caregivers of Adolescents. Child Welfare.

Moretti, M. M., Dys, S. P., Craig, S. G., Sierra Hernandez, C. A., Goulter, N., O’Donnell, K. & Pasalich, D. S. (2024). An Attachment-Based Program for Parents of Youth with Clinically Significant Mental Health Problems: Scaling Up and Drilling Down to Mechanisms of Change. JCPP Advances.Click here

Pace, C. S., Muzi, S., Moretti, M. M., & Barone, L. (2024). Supporting adoptive and foster parents of adolescents through the trauma-informed e-Connect Parent Group: a preliminary descriptive study. Frontiers in Psychology.Click here

Pace, C.S., Muzi, S., Moretti, M., Barone, L. (2024). Supporting adoptive and foster parents of adolescents through the trauma-informed e-Connect parent group: A preliminary descriptive study. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1266930. Click here

Benzi, I.M.A., Carone, N., Moretti, M., Ruglioni, L., Tracchegiani, J., Barone, L. (2023). eCONNECT Parent Group: An online attachment-based intervention to reduce attachment insecurity, behavioral problems, and emotional dysregulation in adolescence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3532. Click here

Barone, L., Carone, N., Costantino, A., Genshow, J., Merelli, S., Milone, A., Polidori, L., Ruglioni, L., Moretti, M. (2021) Effect of a parenting intervention on decreasing adolescents’ behavioral problems via reduction in attachment insecurity: A longitudinal, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Journal of Adolescence, 91c, 82-96 Click here

Barone, L., Carone, N., Costantino, A., Genshow, J., Merelli, S., Milone, A., Polidori, L., Ruglioni, L., Moretti, M. (2020) Training parents’ to adolescents’ challenges: The CONNECT parent program. Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva, 46, 31-46. Click here

Ozturk, Y., Moretti, M., & Barone, L. (2019). Addressing parental stress and adolescents’ behavioral problems through an attachment-based program: An intervention study. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 19,1, 89-100. Click here

Barone, L., Carone, N., Costantino, A., Genschow, L., Merelli, S., Milone, A., Polidori, L., & Moretti, M. (2019). “Changes in attachment avoidance reduce adolescents’ externalizing symptoms: The effectiveness of CONNECT intervention in Italy”. Paper presented in the symposium “Attachment Based Intervention for Caregivers of Adolescents – Connect”, at the International Attachment Conference 2019 (IAC), Vancouver (CAN), July 18th–20th, 2019.

Barone, L., Carone, N., Costantino, A., Genschow, L., Merelli, S., Milone, A., Polidori, L., & Moretti, M. (2019). “A multicenter study on the effectiveness of CONNECT in reducing behavioral problems in adolescence: The role of attachment”. Paper presented in the symposium “Gli interventi con prove di efficacia in ambito familiare e scolastico”, at the XXXII national Congress of the Italian Association of Psychology – developmental and educational psychology section, Naples, September 23rd–25th, 2019.

For more publications and research evidence, see the Adolescent Health Lab website or Dr. Moretti’s Google Scholar