Analysis Of Angela And Adam 's ' The Home With Angela 's Mother '

When a person becomes a parent, their role in life undoubtedly changes. The person must become a teacher, a guide, and a helping hand in the life of the child. Research has shown that there is a distinct connection between how a child is raised and their overall developmental outcome. John Bowlby’s attachment theory emphasizes the importance of the regular and sustained contact between the parent-infant or parent-child relationship (Travis & Waul 2003). Yet, what happens when the only physical contact a child can share with their parent is a hand pressed on the shield of glass that separates the two? What happens when the last memory of their mother or father was from the corner of their own living room as they watched their parent

Bowlby emphasised the significance of the mother-child bond, particularly in the first 3 years of a child’s life. If this relationship was unsatisfactory or if separation occurred during this crucial period, Bowlby asserted that serious psychological problems could ensure. This theory is called – attachment theory- and one does not have to fully support the psychoanalytical tradition to hold the view that, their things being equal, children appear to benefit in there is continuity in upbringing, especially during the early years. (Berridge, D., Cleaver, 1987, p

In this assignment I will be discussing the different effects day care can have towards the development of a child. I will be discussing Bowlby’s maternal depravation hypothesis and Ainsworth’s theory of attachment and also the effects of attachment type and maternal deprivation or deprivation on later behaviour and relationships.

Bowlby’s hypothesis did not suggest that the relationship had to be with the mother. He believed s child needed to form a relationship with a primary caregiver however did not necessarily need to be the mother. The key aim for his hypothesis was to identify the importance of emotional care in healthy development. Privation is when an attachment had never been formed. The lack of emotional care can possibly result in no attachment being formed.

1.) Bowlby's attachment theory stresses the importance of a secure attachment between an infant and his or her mother. If the caregiver, most likely the mother, makes the infant feel like he or she is well-taken care of, then the child learns that they can trust that the mother will always be around and will be there when or if the child ever needs someone to depend on. This is achieved in four distinct ways (Myers, 2009). The infant needs to have a secure base with the child. The child needs to know that if he or she becomes afraid, they will always have someone to go back to. This secure base also needs to be a safe haven where the child can be comforted upon feeling afraid. The child will also always try to stay near the caregiver in order to feel this safe haven, and any separation will cause distress because of being away from their secure base and safe haven. All of these factors come into play in the article "Ghosts in the nursery: A psychoanalytic approach to the problems of impaired infant-mother relationships" (Fraiberg et al 1975). By lacking these specific features, the infant going into the program were deprived of the necessary mechanisms that Bowlby asserted were essential to forming a well-rounded secure person.

British psychologist John Bowlby (1952) had suggested that in infanthood, the relationship of the infant and the mother have a crucial impact on their lives, and deprivation of maternal care will increase the risk of mental disorders and even juvenile delinquency. He had “believed… [what] is essential for mental health is that the infant and young child should experience a warm,

The majority of developmental theories say that children must develop a secure primary attachment in order to develop in a healthy manner. A secure and strong attachment is clearly essential for healthy future relationships. John Bowlby’s studies in childhood development led him to the conclusion that a strong attachment to a caregiver provides a necessary sense of security and foundation. Without such a relationship in place, Bowlby found that a great deal of developmental energy is expended in the search for stability and security. In general, those without such attachments are fearful and are less willing to seek out and learn from new

What defines true happiness? Happiness is like the white light that guides you through the darkest of tunnels, helps you get through the toughest of times and the most difficult obstacles. Everybody has their own true happiness just like everybody has their own personality. Some may argue that true happiness is settling down with a wife and having a family but on the contrary many may argue that being single and living life on their own is the way to be. We will see the similar thoughts of this white light trending through each these three books; An American Childhood, This Boys Life, and Angela’s Ashes.

Life span developmental psychology takes a scientific approach to human growth and change, focusing on change during the life span. There are three main aspects to life span development: cognitive, social, and physical development. This class is not simply a discussion of nature vs. nurture, it explores the interaction between genetic and environmental factors that orient us towards specific behaviors. Initially, my views on life span development were limited to more sociological factors, and did not take into consideration physical developments of the brain. In relation to my personal and professional identity this course has made me realize that development occurs on a spectrum and that not everyone develops at the same time, in the same ways, making me more understanding and compassionate towards those who developed differently than me. The three most important lessons I have learned from this class are that development occurs throughout the entire life span, infants begin learning at a very young age, and that senescence begins as early as young adulthood.

The concept of infant-mother attachment is as important to the child as the birth itself. The effect this relationship has on a child shall affect that child for its entire life. A secure attachment to the mother or a primary caregiver is imperative for a child’s development. Ainsworth’s study shows that a mother is responsive to her infant’s behavioral cues which will develop into a strong infant-mother attachment. This will result in a child who can easily, without stress, be separated from his mother and without any anxiety. Of course the study shows a child with a weak infant-mother relationship will lead to mistrust, anxiety, and will never really be that close with the mother. Without the

In order for children to thrive, infants need to experience healthy nurturing relationships with their mother or caregiver. Nevertheless, without a mother infant attachment bond the growth and development of personality would be non-existent to the infant or child. For the explanation if attachment, family factors do play an imperative role for positive development in a mother infant attachment bond. Studies show that an individual who has a healthy relationship with parent s will have a positive or nurturing relationship with their peers (Richters & Walters, 1991). Individuals who are alienated growing up are more prone to the development of eating disorders or self-harm behaviors that had negative experiences growing up in a house hold with conflicts, or the lack of socialization skills (Richters & Walters, 1992).

John Bowlby (1907-1990) was a psychoanalyst born to an upper-middle class family and primarily raised by the family nanny. Bowlby’s very influential Maternal Deprivation hypothesis was based on his own research whist working as a psychiatrist at the London Child Guidance clinic during the 1930’s. He found that the determination of attachment related to the care given to the youngrather thanthe feeding of the young. Failure to initiate attachment or a breakdown with the attachment figure could lead to Bowlby’s term, Maternal Deprivation. Collins dictionary describes Maternal Deprivation as ‘the lack of a mother in a child’s life, considered a cause of psychological problems later in life’.

There are a number of influences that contribute to the formation of attachments and the differences among individuals. One influence on attachment is the amount of time a caregiver spends with an infant. The amount of time can be affected by the age, health, and social status of the mother. For example, a younger, teenage mother, may return to school in order to complete their education. Returning to school can preoccupy a mother and create a disconnect when an infant’s distress and behaviors are not attended to or ignored. Another example of how the amount of time spent with an infant can be affected is a single-mother or a mother who returns to work within the sensitive time of an infant’s development. Similar to the younger mother example,

By responding with care and comfort, this enables for an “attachment bond” to form between the infant and caregiver, most commonly the mother (White et al., 2013). Following on from Bowlby’s theory, Mary Ainsworth investigated the theory of attachment through observing the reactions of infants when their mothers left them alone with strangers. The investigation was named as the “Ainsworth’s strange situation assessment” (White et al., 2013). It was discovered through this investigation that infants who had secure attachments with their mothers were upset when separated and were easily soothed when the mother returns. This investigation implies that infants with secure attachment to their mothers show signs of normal social development.

Sadly, my early years of child rearing were not of heavy observation on my part!  Our home was one of somewhat traditional roles in terms of family dynamic.  I worked long hours away from the home and didn 't have the one on one contact with our children that my wife had, and enjoyed.  I of course got the play-by-play from her, but in hind sight, I was deprived of so many beautiful observations.  Our text Theories of Development Concepts and Applications by William Crain outlines human development by many theorists.  A few of those are John Bowlby, Mary D.S. Ainsworth, and  Erik H. Erikson.  I couldn 't help but reminisce about the stages of my own children’s growth while reading the work of Bowlby, Ainsworth and Erikson.  I remember having my young children with me when ever it was possible, but what attachments to them might I have missed while I was busy working or did I miss any at all?  Bowlby’s work on attachment gives a compelling argument as to the importance of attachment in the first 6 months of a Childs life.  Ainsworth’s work is focused on the idea of a child using the parent as a base for further exploration of their surroundings.  Erikson’s work on the other hand considers the role of society and culture in development.  In reading these works, the theories appear to be easily stitched together to give an all encompassing view of human development over an entire life time and how our attachment to our parents is critical to that development.