Mark Baumann, J.D., has joined the Board of Directors for the International Association for the Study of Attachment (IASA). IASA supports the Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM), developed initially by Dr. Patricia Crittenden. It also supports other projects such as the IASA Court Protocol.
Mark has completed study in DMM attachment measures for the Preschool Attachment Assessment (PAA) and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and certified as an AAI coder. Mark attended the 2018 IASA international conference in Florence, Italy, were he presented on the topic of DMM Clinician Tools from a Lawyers Perspective, introducing four DMM-based clinician tools he developed and his proposed shame vs. humiliation distinction. Mark is the only litigator to undertake, complete, and certify as a coder for any DMM attachment assessment.
IASA’s Court Protocol is an important step in establishing attachment assessments as a viable and reliable basis for expert testimony in court cases where attachment theory is sought to be used to terminate or restrict parental custody rights.
Part of Mark’s role on the IASA board will be to help promote communication within IASA, help connect the IASA international community with the legal community, and promote dialogue about and application of the DMM in legal and other clinical settings.
Mark relies substantially on the transdisciplinary DMM as a foundational model for his work through the Conflict Science Institute (CSI).