Attachment Theory And Abnormal Development

John Bowlby developed his Attachment Theory to examine and explore the contextual relationships between a child and their caregiver and their behavioral repercussions. He describes it is “a way of conceptualizing the propensity of human beings to make strong affectional bonds to particular others and of explaining the many forms of emotional distress and personality disturbance, including anxiety, anger, depression, and emotional detachment, to which unwilling separation and loss give rise” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 127). An infant’s attachment to their primary caregiver establishes a sense of security, through protection, so the infant is able to explore the world with confidence and without threat and risk. During a child’s

John Bowlby’s work in attachment has been the foundation when determining the attcahments and bonds that a child and parent may experience (Webb, 2011). According to Bowlby, “attachment” is referring to a lasting, mutual bond of affection that is dependent on an individual or more than one person (Webb, 2011). Establishing a secure attachment during infancy and early childhood is an important task of a parent or a caregiver. Not all parents or caregivers can provide their child with a secure attachment at this important in life due to various reasons. Since parents are the main providers in their child’s development of attachment, their lives and history has a great influence on their children’s lives.

One of the most important factors that affect child development is the relationship of the child with their primary caregiver. This is a tenet of developmental psychology known as attachment theory. John Bowlby, the creator of this theory, wanted to examine how early childhood experiences influence personality development. Attachment theory specifically examines infant’s reactions to being separated from their primary caregiver. Bowlby hypothesized that the differences in how children react to these situations demonstrates basic behavioral differences in infancy that will have consequences for later social and emotional development.

In 1958, the Attachment theory came into existence. It was developed by John Bowlby on the notion that the quality of the parent -child relationship was essential for development and mental health (Howe, 2011, pg, 7). This thinking was in the context of distress shown by children when separated from their parents or when in unfamiliar surroundings. While having credit for the emergence of the attachment theory, Bowlby subsequently carried out a lot of research work with Mary Ainsworth concluding that children view their attachment figures as both a ?safe haven? to return to for comfort and protection and also a ?secure base? from which to explore their environment. The birth of children gives rise to the need to feel loved and wanted by caregivers, (Maclean and Harrison,2015 pg, 103), the absence of which might result in a range of behaviors to either

Attachment is defined as a deep, affectionate, and enduring emotional bond that forms between two people, namely an infant and a caregiver. It is developed during the first years of an infant’s life and has four types depending on the quality of the attachment: secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganised. It has been reported that approximately only 60 to 65 percent of children form secure attachment to their caregivers. Research indicates that the early attachment relationship is an essential foundation for later development. Insecurely attached infants are more likely to grow into aggressive, defiant and hyperactive individuals with lower academic skills compared to securely attached children, they are also more prone to psychiatric disorders and other problems. In contrast, individuals who form a secure attachment in their infancy are more resilient to depression, parental stress, family instability, and poverty compared to those who form an insecure attachment. Given the prevalence and consequences, it is important to educate parents on the impacts that attachment quality can have on a child’s development and later life.

“Attachment is the ability to form emotional bonds with other people”, it is unambiguous that Precious did not have that kind of emotional bond with her family (E.D. Hutchison, 2012. 441) John Bowlby who is considered the father of attachment theory. Attachment theory is a concerted work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. This theory focus on early childhood experiences and how well cared and in our world, may influence on how the child behaves from childhood to adult. The assumption of this theoretically perspective, focus on the relationship between the caregiver and the child and how it can affect the child’s behaviors and

Babies have a biological drive to form a connection with a primary caregiver, forming an attachment, which can take many forms. A fundamental part of healthy development is a secure attachment, characterized by love and attention from a caregiver. Attachment styles form the basis of subsequent internal working models, or mental construal of the self, others, and relationships based on one’s history of care. An infant with a history of positive experiences will form positive interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, insecurely attached children will not follow a normal course of development and exhibit negative behaviors in the social environment. These children display aggressive and inconsistent behavior. This is due to the child experiencing abusive and neglectful behavior from a caregiver, and forming a negative internal working model based on such experiences throughout development. Current research examines a link between attachment insecurity and later delinquency, particularly in the realm of sexual offense.

Next, I will discuss the main research findings associated with attachment disorders during childhood, highlighting the importance of defining the narrow definition of an attachment disorder to guide assessment and treatment. I then will turn to the assessment of attachment in clinical settings and the methodological issues associated with translating research-based assessments into practice. Finally, I will focus on treatment describing some interventions that are closely derived from attachment theory and the dangers of misapplying attachment theory to practice.

Attachment theory led not only to increased attention to attachments as a psychosocial process, it also led to a new understanding of child development (Bowlby, 1969). Freudian theory suggested that as libidinal drives fixed on different objects, former attachments would be broken; failure to break an attachment effectively would constitute a sort of trauma that could lead to later mental illness (Bretherton (1992). Attachment theory, however, suggested that growing children did not break former attachments, but rather (1) learned to become more active (or sovereign) within previously established attachments, and (2) added new attachments, which did not necessarily require a break with (and are not

Theory based strategies help carers of Looked after Children to facilitate and rebuild secure attachments when they are supporting and working with children in care, or if they move placements for example, into an adoptive or foster family. These strategies help the carers manage and understand challenging behaviour that is often caused as a consequence of an insecure attachment. Attachment can be defined as a long-lasting bond that is developed by infants towards their parents and is described as ‘a positive emotional link between two people – a link of affection’. (Lindon,1998,35,Cited in Crawford et al, 2005). Attachment disorders can impact on a child’s developmental wellbeing throughout childhood and into adolescence. Evaluating the attachment theory can show different ways these disorders affect the relationship of the child and carer.

Attachment is an integral part of the human condition, through it bonds are created between child and caregiver and these bond help contribute to a developing person’s sense of self and the world around them. These feeling of connection carry over from parent, to child, to later life from the person to their partner and then their own children. Attachment theory grew out of the understanding that young children in their early fragile stages of development require protection and security to increase their chance of survival, protection is present in the form of the parents from whom physical and a psychological sense of security comes. The infant sees their parents as a protector and a secure base through which they can always turn to in moments of stress when experiencing the world (Browne & Shlosberg, 2006).

Pioneered by John Bowlby, the formation of attachment theory, stems from the concept that intimate and comforting relationships between child and caregiver, establishes a sense of security and fosters positive social and emotional development (Ogilvie, Newman, Todd & Peck, 2014). Although attachment theory was primarily focused on understanding the temperament of infants, it has since been illustrated that attachment can define human experience from ‘cradle to grave’ (Chopik, Edelstein & Fraley, 2013).
 Those described as securely attached, (who receive supervision and discipline from a caregiver) develop a healthy perception of the world, displaying high levels of self control; beneficial in steering themselves away from delinquent

The relationship between security of attachment and cognitive development creates the underlying foundation from which individual’s operate throughout the lifespan (Carruth, 2006). The security of attachment between an infant and their primary caregiver can have profound consequences for the developing brain, impacting an infant’s future relationships, self-esteem, and ability to self-regulate emotions (Carruth, 2006). Attachment theory, first theorized by John Bowlby (1988), stresses the significance of secure attachments in relation to cognitive development. Secure attachment is correlated with a decrease in high risk behaviors, fewer mental health issues, positive coping strategies, and healthy social skills (Burkett & Young, 2012

The literature defines that children who express no affection and are unable to connect or bond with others are delinquents (Stevenson-Hinde, 2007). The definition of crime, according to Bowlby, is the outcome of a disruption to the child’s secure attachment to their primary caregiver during infancy (Stevenson-Hinde, 2007). Bowlby argues that attachment disruptions in children are related to three psychological states that occur within the first three years of a child’s life: the protest state (severe distress), the despair state (grief, mourning, withdrawal, and hopelessness), and the state of detachment or prolonged separation (Fonagy & Target, 1997). After a child has experienced lengthy separation or detachment, the child becomes unable to resume proper attachment with their primary caregiver. This produces a number of characteristics, such as the inability to bond at all, becoming apathetic, and very concentrated on the self (Fonagy & Target, 1997; Shi,

Attachment theory is the idea that a child needs to form a close relationship with at least one primary caregiver. The theory proved that attachment is necessary to ensure successful social and emotional development in an infant. It is critical for this to occur in the child’s early infant years. However, failed to prove that this nurturing can only be given by a mother (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Many aspects of this theory grew out of psychoanalyst, John Bowlby’s research. There are several other factors that needed to be taken into account before the social worker reached a conclusion; such as issues surrounding poverty, social class and temperament. These factors, as well as an explanation of insecure attachment will be further explored in