Attachment in Developmental Psychology

What is the definition of attachment? If you look it up in a dictionary it explains that it is ‘an emotional bond between an infant or toddler and primary caregiver, a strong bond being vital for the child’s normal behavioural and social development’. That strong bond between infant and caregiver is believed to happen between the ages of 6-8 months although Bowlby (1958) suggests that the infants are born into this world pre-programmed to form attachments, they have innate behaviours in the way of crying, smiling, crawling and cooing which will stimulate attention and comforting responses from the caregivers. These behaviours are called social releasers. Kagan et al (1978)

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a condition that develops when an infant or young child doesn’t form healthy emotional attachments with their parents or caregivers.

Attachment is described as an "affectionate reciprocal relationship between an individual and another individual." Much psychological research has been carried out into the types of attachments that infants form with their caregivers, and the results gained from these studies show how early attachments can affect children whether positively or negatively.

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a psychiatric illness that is characterized by problems with emotional attachments and usually presents itself around the age of five (Reactive attachment disorder, 2013). Parents or caregivers might notice that the child has emotional attachment issues by the age of one though (Reactive attachment disorder, 2013). The DSM-IV goes on to describe RAD as also including the first or second category (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The first category describes a failure to interact in developmentally appropriate ways while the second category describes an inability discriminate appropriate attachments to different groups of people (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Boekamp (2008) describes

Reactive Attachment Disorder is a psychological disorder which effects children and adults in the United States. Reactive Attachment Disorder or “RAD”, “is a rare but serious condition in which an infant or young child doesn't establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). Adolescents suffer from reactive attachment disorder in the United States due to a lack of appropriate parent care which can be cured through seeking the assistance of professionals.

Another attachment disorder found among children is reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Reactive attachment disorder is a child’s inability to form affectionate bonds with other people. Additionally, social relationships and skills are difficult and uneasy for the child. RAD can occur when a child in their early years if the child experiences extreme abuse, neglect of physical or emotional needs, or a constant change in caregiver leaving the child unable to form an attachment with the caregiver.

By definition, “attachment is the emotional bond between an infant and the primary caregiver (Romero; Perry).” During the first eight months of life, an infant will typically form an emotional attachment to a caregiver. The kind of attachment is based on the nurture and care the infant receives. The type of attachment between an infant and a caregiver can help determine the child’s personality and development (Romero).

Bowlby defined attachment as “a lasting psychological integration bounded by human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p.194). However, attachment can also be described as a strong, mutual, emotional connection or relationship formed between two people, mostly between infant and its caregiver. According to Macoby (1988) attachment has four key characteristics which are: proximity; where an infant always want to stay near the attached caregiver. Separation anxiety; is when the infant is distressed when separated from the caregiver. Pleasure, when the infant and the caregiver feel pleasure at reunion and lastly frequent contact; where the infant is always conscious of the caregiver and desire to be in contact with caregiver.

When attachment does not happen whether due to neglect, child abuse or even an autistic child then the baby tends to display the last three types of attachment. I think it depends on the type of child, or the child’s personality. A child who is extremely neglected or even abused probably has behavior problems as an adult, perhaps trust issues or severe emotional problems. It really boils downs to the type of attachment they had with their mother and then other types of attachment and bonds they formed later in life.

Attachment refers to the specific, strong, long-term binds in human interpersonal relationship. When getting along with whom one form attachment with, one would feel secure and comforted. Though some said that the attachment was firstly formed in pregnancy, the main formation of attachment is mostly developed in infancy and early childhood (less than 5 years old). In the second half of the first year, infant would start to recognize and become attached to the familiar caregiver who always responds to their needs. When they feel insecure or alarmed, the attachment would be served as the behavioral stimulation which directs them to turn to the caregivers for protection and

Avoidant Attachment - avoidant attachment is a strategy often developed by an infant whose parents have discouraged overt signs of either affection or distress, and who do not readily offer sympathy or comfort (Karen, 1994). However, an avoidant infant also does not immediately acknowledge the mother’s return to the room, averting his or her gaze when the mother enters and initially moves away from her if she approaches (Lyons-Ruth and Zeanah, 1993).

Attachment is the foundation for a strong relationship between caregivers and children. Children usually become attached to the person who cares for them most often during their first year of life. There is secure and insecure attachment which can affect a child and their future.

Depending on the infant’s reaction to the caregiver 's leaving, the attachment styles are described as “secure,” “insecure-ambivalent,” or “insecure-avoidant.” This is the infant’s Internal Working Model, Bowlby postulates, on which all future relationships will be based.

Attachment theory is a concept that explores the importance of attachment in respect to direct development. “It is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space” (Bowlby, 1969; McLeod, 2009). It is the relationship that develops within the first year of the infant’s life between them and their caregiver. The theory also relates to the quality of the attachment that is shown in the behavior of the infant (Rieser-Danner, 2016). Attachment theory shows that infants need a close nurturing relationship with their caregiver in order to have a healthy relationship. Lack of response from the caregiver

Insecure avoidant attachment type may develop if the child’s primary caregiver is inattentive or unavailable during times of distress. This motivates the child’s belief that any communication of their needs will have no impact on their primary caregiver. As such the child then continues not to seek contact with their caregiver during further times of distress. Children with this attachment type also tend not to orientate their explorations of the world in accordance to