Secure Attachment Research Paper

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)

The importance of a healthy attachment in early childhood development can lead to a better adult development and skills for daily life. A secure and healthy attachment to the caregiver in infancy to adolescence showcases the importance of building strong relationships and coping skills during periods of stress and anxiety. The research that has been found, goes into detail about the different types of attachments that infants and children can develop as well as what negative and positive aspects come along with the attachments.

Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)

Hendrix (1992) explains that since our memories from childhood are usually dim, it is often necessary to analyze present behavior patterns in order to understand how we moved through the early development. Based on that explanation, I came to the conclusion that I developed a secure attachment. One reason I believe I develop secure attachment is because I have the tendency to trust people easily, unless they have proven otherwise. When I meet a new person I often make a good first impression of him and assume he is a good person. It is usually often a person said or did something questionable that I start to mistrust him. Secondly, my parents would tell us how easily I got over after becoming upset with someone. I could not be mad at people for a long time. According to my parents, I would get spanked or scolded for poor behavior and I would leave the room sad or crying only to return a few minutes later and start talking with my parents like nothing had happened.

Parents influence the infant’s development; for example, if they are affectionate and reliable the toddlers are going to have a secure attachment. It is essential and healthy for children to have a secure attachment.

The formation of attachment begins at birth with the child forming some type or form of attachment with their parents or primary caregiver. Hopefully, the child is able to form a proper or secure attachment with their parent or primary caregivers because the attachment formed between the parents or primary caregiver acts the foundation for how well the child will be able to form attachments with others outside the immediate family (Gullone, Ollendick, King,2006).This is because the type or level of attachment the child was able to form with his or her parent generally predicts the type or level of attachment the child will form with others outside their intermediate family. However, as the individual interacts with the outside world more and

Attachment in newborns and infants is a strong connection emotionally. This attachment is normally with their primary caregiver due to the fact they are with them the most. This is in most cases the mother of the child. When in the company of the one they are attached to, infants feel the sense of safety, comfort, and happiness. Infants and newborns tend to develop an attachment based on the amount of time they spend with the person, the quality of the care they give to them, the investment that is put into the infant, and the time spent in their life over time.

Attachment problems can be caused by several different factors and it may actually be difficult to assess causality in some cases where the client history is incomplete or contradictory in places depending on the source. Ainsworth (1992) aptly summarized the attachment equation. First babies of sensitive mothers were more likely to be securely attached, while those who had less sensitive mothers were more likely to be insecurely attached. These insecurely attached children had more difficulty forming new skills and interests because of their lack of a secure base from which to work. Psychosocial factors that could contribute to attachment problems in childhood include problems with the infant, including a difficult temperament or physical

Attachment serves the purpose of promoting closeness between infants with their adult caregivers who are responsible for comforting, nurturing and protecting them (Breidensteine, Bailey, Zeanah & Larrieu, 2011). Bowlby (1958) developed attachment theory to explain young children’s behaviours in ethological terms, positing that infants have developed an adaptive system directed towards their adult caregivers to elicit attention and care (Del Giudice, 2009). These biological driven behaviours, such as crying or clinging to a recognised and consistent caregiver

Attachment Theory and Parenting Amanda E. Suzzi Northern Arizona University  Attachment Theory and Parenting Just like a turkey imprints itself on the first moving object it encounters, babies instinctively attach themselves to their caregivers. Humans are born with the need to feel close to others. This paper will define attachment theory, examine levels of attachment, and discuss items that affect attachment. As a part of social development during the first year of life, babies and parents bond and form emotional attachments.

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

An infant with a secure attachment style has a natural bond with their parent, where they are able to trust them, at the same time leaving their side to discover and explore their surroundings. In an insecure/resistant attachment the relationship the child has with their mother or caregiver is very clingy, thus making them very upset once the caregiver is away. When the mother or caregiver is back they are not easily comforted and resist their effort in comforting them. In an insecure/avoidant attachment the infant is, “indifferent and seems to avoid the mother, they are as easily comforted by a stranger, as by their parent” (Siegler 2011, p.429). Lastly, the disorganized/disoriented attachment is another insecure attachment style in which the infant has no way of coping with stress making their behavior confusing or contradictory. Through these brief descriptions of the attachment theory, many researchers have defined the turning point in which each attachment definition can have an influence on one’s self esteem, well-being and their marital relationship.

As humans, building relationships between others is a form of connecting and communicating. It is a social situation that is experienced every day through the course of a lifetime. The initial relationship that is made is between the mother and the child. This bond that connects two people is known to be called attachment. The theory of attachment begins at birth, and from that, continuing on to other relationships in family, friends, and romance. Attachment is taught through social experiences, however the relationship with the mother and her temperament are the key factors in shaping the infants attachment type, which

Attachments are formed in the very earliest months and years of life. These have a significant influence on emotional development as well as providing a template for the child as he or she grows into adulthood.

Attachments are intrinsic to a child’s development both in the short term and for the duration of their lives. Infants have an innate need to develop an attachment with their mother to ensure their survival and are equipped with evolutionary characteristics called social releasers; physical social releasers such as large eyes and a small chin are found to be more aesthetically pleasing to the parents so they are more likely to care for them and behavioural social releasers for example, crying; very young infants typically only cry if they 're hungry, cold or in pain (Gross 2015 p535) this alerts the parents to an infants immediate need. At around 7 or 8 months of age children begin to make specific attachments for reasons other than survival, children display proximity maintaining behaviour normally with the mother,