Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Thee important of attachment in child development
Summary of john bowlby attachment theory
Limitations to attachment theory
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Thee important of attachment in child development
Introduction
This essay is about importance of attachment theories for babies and young children. The assignment will touches definition of attachment, background of mostly seen theories also studies about it and long-term consequences of poor or leak of attachment on children’s development. Then why attachment is important for children.
What is attachment- definition and theories.
Attachment has been defined as relationship, emotional bond, secure and warm between baby and caregiver mostly mother. (Flood,2013). Baby is born with innate which mean that the baby born with need to bond/attachment naturally through first interaction with primary caregiver, usually mother and this is happen through first touch, skin to skin contact. This is known
…show more content…
As states one of academic journal (Attachment and psychosocial functioning 2014), is states that John Bowlby believed that attachment is developed by babies smile, cry or clinging and these help the baby to survival, he also believed that attachment is just one universal for everybody and devised four stages of attachment. Pre-attachment (0-2 moths), attachment-in-the-making (2-6 months), clear-cut-attachment (6months- 3 – 4 years) and goal-corrected partnership. Bowlby’s theory states also about internal working model which mean that attachment with primary caregiver is lead to child’s development for example if mother isn’t warm, respond and doesn’t shows love, then this will has an impact on the child’s self-esteem, child will be unable to develop relationships with peers, even will develops depression. Bowlby’s journey about attachment has been start with children who were hospitalised and separated from their parents. His study opened his eyes how negative this situation was for the children. He believed that base of attachment from born is essential and if does not occur it brings negative consequences such as depression, aggression and affectionless
The attachment theory, presented by Mary Ainsworth in 1969 and emerged by John Bowlby suggests that the human infant has a need for a relationship with an adult caregiver, and without a subsequent, development can be negatively impacted (Hammonds 2012). Ainsworth proposes that the type of relationship and “attachment” an infant has with the caregiver, can impact the social development of the infant. As stated by Hammonds (2012), attachment between a mother and a child can have a great impact on the child 's future mental
The influence of Bowlby’s attachment theory is relevant when dealing with transitions because it has informed people and practitioners about the importance of attachment and the key worker system. Bowlby’s attachment theory evolved to ensure children are protected and for their survival to be increased. Bowlby believed that a child’s first attachment is built quite early on and is normally formed with the mother. This relationship between the mother and the baby is the template for relationships in the future. It provides the child with an internal working model. If the child’s first attachment doesn’t have a positive effect then this can result in the child finding it difficult to form other attachments with practitioners, family members and friends. If the first attachment is secure and strong the child will be able to build relationships with other people without having a problem. According to Bowlby the cognitive development of the child is affected when early attachment is formed because it provides a secure base for exploration. Although Bowlby’s theory has a lot of positive aspects other theorists have research that disagrees with his work. Schaffer & Emerson
Criticisms of attachment theory have come mainly from the feminist schools of thought since the theory has been used to argue that no woman with a young child should work outside the home or spend time away from her baby (Goodsell and Meldrum, 2010). Children’s experience and development also depend on what happens after early years, whether bad or good later in life may change a child’s emotional development, e.g. lack of basic needs, diet, education, stimulation such as play might affect a child’s development (Rutter, 1981). Differences in cultures have to be taken into consideration as well. A study by Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) provided contradictory evidence for Bowlby’s attachment theory. They noted attachment was more prominent at eight months, and afterwards children became attached to more than one person.
In understanding others, one must first understand our own family background and how it affects our understanding of the world. Conversely, family systems draw on the view of the family as an emotional unit. Under system thinking, one evaluates the parts of the systems in relation to the whole meaning behavior becomes informed by and inseparable from the functioning of one’s family of origin. These ideas show that individuals have a hard time separating from the family and the network of relationships. With a deeper comprehension of the family of origin helps with the challenges and awareness of normalized human behaviors. When interviewing and analyzing the family of origin, allow one to look at their own family of origin
The attachment process plays a crucial role in a child’s development and their future impact on society According to Dr Suzanne Zeedyk. Children can’t feel relaxed and safe with the adults & children in the nursery until they get to know them. If there’s a lack of affection towards a child they may be reluctant to take advantage of all the learning opportunities because of their anxiety. We now know that relationships literally shape the neural connections in young children’s brains. This means everything that happens or doesn’t happen for the child will leaves a physiological trace in their growing brain. According to Dr Suzanne
The therapeutic process is an opportunity for both healing and restoration as well as discovering new ways of being. Although exposed to a variety of psychological theories, I narrowed my theoretical orientation to a relational psychodynamic approach, drawing on attachment theory and Intersubjective Systems Theory (IST). IST describes how the subjective experiences, both embodied and affective, of an individual becomes the manner of organization, or way of being, in which the person operates in the world relationally. It is through this process of transference and countertransference, the unconscious ways of being can become explicit and through the collaborative effort of therapist and client, new ways of organizing the relational world can
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, insecure/resistant, insecure/avoidant and disorganized/disoriented, later leading to research studies done to observe this behavior and how it affects a child in their adolescence and adulthood.
Attachment is described as the close emotional bond between two people and Attachment Theory (AT) generally concentrates on the early bonds in a person’s development as well as the effects that these bonds have on later socio-emotional development. While emphasis on attachment as an antecedent for future behavior and personality has decreased somewhat in recent years, it is interesting to note that the DSM IV-TR includes a “reactive attachment disorder” which it states is caused when extreme circumstances prevent proper attachment development.
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)
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 this paper.
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. “Attachment is as essential for the child’s psychological well-being as food is for physical health claimed Bowlby” Wood, B (2001, p.54). Bowlby claimed in this statement that attachment is a necessary thing which a child needs in order to develop healthily.
An attachment is an emotional bond between two people (mainly the primary caregiver and the infant/child), in which they both seek security when in the presence of each other. As time goes by, the bond will become stronger (Healthofchildren.com, 2017).
Because of the unique needs of a child at birth, the bond that a child forms with a person develops quickly and gets stronger in their first years of life. Although the child is born emotionally unattached, an emotional bond is formed and is called Attachment. Many people assume that a parent is the only person that can form attachments with children. However, attachments can happen between a child and anyone who takes care of them. Attachment is “the relational bond that connects a child to another important person; feelings and behaviors of devotion or positive connection” (Gordon & Browne, 639).
How deep children bond with their primary caretakers will impact their personality, emotionally wellbeing, and the quality of relationship after they growing up. Infants not only have physical needs, but also emotional needs such as being touched and responded regularly. If children do not form secure attachment with their caretakers, after growing up, they might find it hard to form close relationship, having troubles in resolving conflicts, being risky in emotional well-being. Therefore, because attachment influence significantly the social functionality of a person, it is vital to know how to build secure attachment with children, especially for new parents, and therapists focused on family therapies (Bowlby, 2008). This paper will introduce
Attachment would be an emotional connection among either the girlfriend and boyfriend, or the child and the caregiver that takes care of the child. Adults can have different attachment styles such as secure, anxious, fearful, and dismissive. Different styles of attachment affect different things such as how well our relationships will go and how will they end. Me and my boyfriend would fall into the secure attachment style as adults in today’s society. We are both in a loving relationship and in our relationship we have built trust, love, and commitment to one another. We seem happy in our relationship that we are in. Me and my boyfriend have things in common such as going to the movies, playing sports, going on different adventurous, and eating out.