Child Attachment Analysis

Attachment is the “…strong emotional bind that emerges between infant and caregiver” (Bukatko & Daehler, 418). Behaviors that are specific to attachment include: separation anxiety, reunion behavior, stranger anxiety, secure attachment, secure base, insecure attachment, etc. All of these behaviors are influence by attachment or lack there of during infancy. For example, secure base is when a child explores but checks to see if their caregiver is still there. Another example is separation anxiety that is when a child shows distress when the caregiver leaves their environment.

Childcare plays a large role in a child’s attachment development; depending on how much time a child spends there. If a child is around ten month they will often show

distress when leaving their mother, but will also show reunion behavior when reunited with their mother. It is important to have consistency in caregiving, if the child is in a loving environment at home, but is neglected at a large childcare facility this might influence their attachment. Since attachment is most influenced in the first three years of life that is when a child needs that consistency. As mentioned above reactive attachment disorder develops through emotional neglect, although it typically needs to be severe, like first couple of years of life spent in an orphanage. Although two children in the same institution setting may not both develop this, it can be said that one is more resilient than the other.

A child needs to form a secure attachment with their caregiver, if one is not formed this might negatively affect the child. Those at risk are children in institutions, those who repeatedly change foster homes, and those neglect in a regular household. How resilient the child is will determine their ability to development normally in terms of cognitive, emotional and social health. For example, (in a study) children who were insecurely attached displayed behaviors that stemmed from negativity from the mother. Children at risk are those with negative parents, and their behavioral issues show their lack of resilience. In another study, insecurely attached infants, later on as toddlers exhibited a lack of social skills, high dependency, hostile and impulsive behavior, etc. Depending on how long a child is allowed to make an attachment, or if there are disruptions in this attachment process, results in their type of attachment with the caregiver. Less attachment for longer typically results in more substantial issues later on.