René Spitz's research on hospitalism has shown that adequate nutrition and care alone are not enough: children also need attachment figures to meet their emotional needs for healthy psychological development. Against the backdrop of John Bowlby's attachment theory, attachment research has demonstrated that neglecting an infant's early emotional needs can lead to damage in brain maturation. This damage is a cause of the development of severe psychopathological issues, which we also diagnose as attachment disorders. When parental abilities to support their child's emotional development are insufficient or have a harmful effect, external care for the child in a foster or adoptive family is often considered. This can lead to new, healing attachments.