Bowlby's Attachment Analysis

Perhaps the most influential explanation of attachment was presented by John Bowlby who began developing his ideas in the 1940s. Bowlby was commissioned by the World Health Organisation to investigate whether young children were likely to be harmed if they are separated from their mothers in the early years. (Hayes, 1996). Bowlby (1951) reported that infants possesses an innate need to attach to one main attachment figure (this was usually the mother). According to Hayes (1996), this is a special relationship which is qualitatively different from the relationship they form with any other kind of person. He described this as the process of monotropy; however, Bowlby did not deny that babies formed lots of attachments. (Bailey et al. 2008).

Bowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that “his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development” Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachment will help a child develop in all areas e.g. emotionally, physical and mentally. However if they did not form an attachment in the sensitive period, the child may have issues or problems in their cognitive, emotional and social development.

Kim Bartholomew took Bowlby’s theory a step further and proposed four styles of adult attachment based on working models of self and others (Lyddon & Sherry, 2001). These styles were secure, preoccupied, dismissing and fearful. Secure adults feel self worth and expect other people to be trustworthy. Preoccupied adults feel unworthy but feel better about other people. Dismissing adults feel they are worthy but have a negative view of others. And fearfully attached adults tend to feel unworthy and untrusting of others (Lyddon & Sherry, 2001). All of the styles noted except for secure would also fall under the broader category of insecure.

John Bowlby, the backbone of attachment theories will be discussed throughout this essay to explain and evaluate the key theories of attachment. Health and well-being which is made up of four factors ‘physical, intellectual, emotional and social ' (Jones, 2016), will also be discussed within the essay. The definition of attachment is ‘an act of attaching or the state of being attached. ' (Dictionary, 1400) This will be showed in the assignment, using theorists to analyse the meaning. Sharing the strengths and weaknesses in some theorists will help conclude this assignment.

In the part of the essay I will describe and evaluate Bowlbys theory of Attachment and the learning theory of Attachment. I will show strengths and weaknesses in both theories. I will use a collection of source literature to back up and correlate this information.

getting the attention of the “caregiver.” As stated before by Bowlby, nevertheless he believes there should not be any form of “protest separation” by “the infant” (p. 250).

Fraley (2002) completed a meta analysis of studies concerning attachment in order to investigate the level of attachment pattern’s continuity throughout life. The study indicated that there was a certain stability of the attachment pattern, and that the stability is independent of time. Even though it is theorized that a secure pattern will be likely to stay unchanged, it is still indicated that experiences such as bad relationships will be able to change the attachment pattern (Fraley,

John Bowlby had worked with residential school children as a volunteer early on in his career and had determined that the children who suffered the most from anger outbursts, aggressivity, and whom her termed “affectionless” were also the children who had suffered the most maternal deprivation (). Bowlby advanced that the loss of the mother figure was extremely distressing and damaging and could influence adults' behavior years later. Hence, where psychoanalysis had been concerned “solely with the imaginings of the childish mind, the fantasied pleasures and the dreaded retributions” (Fonagy), Bowlby showed that humans do not develop in a void or as “individual monads” but as members of interacting systems. Bowlby developed his theory on attachment for several decades, and at a time where any dealings with childhood trauma were still rigorously influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis through the likes of psychoanalysts such Anna Freud or Melanie Klein. Even Winnicott was “revulsed” upon reading Bowlby's papers (siegel). It certainly was a bitter pill to swallow for psychoanalysts who had been repeating since Freud that the newborn was a little tyrant fighting for oral gratification at the mother's breast and merely clinging on to fulfil sexual instinctual needs. Bowlby's work was thus eschewed for a considerable time, despite his involvement with the World Health Organisation and the considerable empirical weight that was added to his findings by Mary Ainsworth's studies in

Preattachment takes place between birth and 6 weeks of the baby’s life. During this period a baby responds to the smell and voice of their mother. This is what comforts them. When the caregiver picks the baby up or smiles at the baby the first stages of attachment are formed. The complete stage of attachment has not yet been formed as you could leave the baby with an unfamiliar person and they would still be content.

The following essay will aim to explore two developmental theories. It will also look at how they have become relevant in counselling and psychotherapy practice, how they should be helpful and offer support when a presenting issue occurs from a client, and how the counsellor will work in partnership with the client. The chosen theories are based on John Bowlby’s attachment theory and David Winnicott’s developmental theory.

Attachment refers to an affectional bond; a bond which is exclusive to an individual and cannot be exchanged to another. A particularly important bond is the emotional one between an infant and its primary care giver. When it comes to attachment it is often said that it is either down to nature or nurture. Nature is the belief that it is genetic based whilst nurture believes it is our environment and experiences.

Secure attachment is a theory viewed by most as an important part of an individual development with an emphasis on early childhood. Most individuals would say that secure attachment is indeed very important for early childhood development and should be emphasized to help them grow in a secure environment which may promote self confidence and emotional stability during adulthood. Bowlby’s theory of attachment was developed to explain how children needed secure attachment during early childhood, after observing children suffering from emotional instability because they were separated from their parents’ security and protection as opposed to those children who were raised in a secure and comfortable environment. Later

Attachment theory is understood by a deep bond that connects one person to another. Attachment is characterized by specific behaviuors in children, such as seeking aid from the attachment figure when feeling apprehensive or fearful. Attachment theory originated with the work of John Bowlby (1958). Working in a child guidance clinic in London led him to consider the importance of a child’s relationship with their mothers. John Bowlby working along side James Robertson (1952) revealed children experience intense anxiety and stress when separated from their mother.

John Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attachment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infant interactions specifically regarding the theme of an infant’s exploration of their surrounding and the separation from their mother in an experiment called the strange situation. Ainsworth defined the four attachment styles: secure,

Bowlby's attachment theory proposes that the teens are born biologically pre-programmed to frame connections with others, since this will help them to survive. Bowlby was particularly impacted by ethological hypothesis when all is said in done, yet particularly by Lorenz's (1935) investigation of engraving. Lorenz demonstrated that connection was inborn and consequently has a survival esteem. Bowlby trusted that connection practices are instinctual and will be actuated by any conditions that appear to undermine the accomplishment of closeness, for example, partition, uncertainty and