Attachment theory has been generating creative and impactful research for almost half a century. In this paper we focus on the documented antecedents and consequences of individual differences in infant attachment patterns. We pay particular attention to the concept of cognitive “working models” and how they contribute to the way children see themselves in relationships with others and how they will form relationships in adulthood. We consider adult caregiving behavior that predicts infant attachment patterns, and the still-mysterious “transmission gap” between parental AAI classifications and infant Strange Situation classifications. We also review connections between attachment and (a) history of abuse, (b) neglect and (c) trauma. Our goal is to create a psychological profile for minors who are victims of abuse and/or neglect, by examining the role of childhood attachment, in predicting re-victimization in adolescence or adulthood.