Infant Relationship Essay

886 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Attachment theory vignettes

Relationships For a baby to have healthy development they must have healthy relationships. These relationships change as the baby grows and will affect them through their entire lifespan. (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000) The first of these relationships is the bond between the baby and their primary caregiver, usually the mother. We call this bond attachment. The quality of this attachment may affect the baby’s entire life. If a baby develops a secure attachment they are likely to grow into healthy adults. Attachment becomes secure when the parent responds to the baby in a warm and consistent manner. (The Baby Human: To Belong, 2003) In healthy, early relationships the baby and caregiver interact and learn about each other. As they learn about each …show more content…

The quality of these interactions and communications will affect the baby’s ability to achieve these goals. Babies learn very easy to signal their needs and desires. They may turn away, smile or cry to express their needs or desires. The caregiver should be the one to adjust their behavior to the baby and never expect the baby to adjust to them. The more consistent the caregiver is at reading and adjusting to the baby’s needs, the greater the development of positive interactions and emotional self-regulation. (Tronick, 1989) When the caregiver-infant relationship does not develop normally or is strained, the child can develop developmental or behavioral problems. (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000) Insecure or avoidant attachments can happen when a caregiver is inconsistent or abusive. The baby learns they cannot trust the caregiver to fill their needs. These babies are prone to develop avoidance of others and aggressive behaviors. (The Baby Human: To Belong, 2003) The quality of the caregiver-infant relationship will be a foundation for the baby’s further developmental influence of environmental risk. Risk and

Show More
Related

  • Comparing John Erikson And Mary Ainsworth And John Bowlby

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Concept of Infant-Mother Attachment

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    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 right help, this child may harbor these ill feelings for life.

    Read More

  • Adult Attachment Theory in a Romantic Relationship

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    The theory of attachment was developed by John Browbly, a British psychologist who demonstrated that infants are born with preprogrammed to bond with their significant person, a primary caregiver. Once the infant develops the emotional attachment with caregiver, infant will consider them as the secure base where they feel protected and se...

    Read More

  • Child Development: Ealry Infant Attachment

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    (Early infant attachment is an important phenomena to study as it is connected to later child development). Early infant attachment is linked to cognitive, social, and emotional development (Pallini, Baiocco, Schneider, Madigan, & Atkinson, 2014). These three developmental aspects are significant in one’s later mental process capabilities, the relationships formed later in life, as well as their psychological stability. The attachments formed with caregivers in infancy are vital. Bowlby stated, “It is our first relationship, usually with our mother, that much of our future well-being is determined” (O’Gorman, 2012). It’s crucial for a child’s development to look at parenting styles and early infant attachment classifications which are made to caregivers. Most research focuses around mother-infant attachment making little known about the relationships made with fathers.

    Read More

  • Development of Attachment

    1555 Words  | 4 Pages

    It has been shown that the relationships infants develop early on in life have lasting effects on their identity and behavior. Extensive research has indicated that the relationship between an infant and its caregivers is particularly important.

    Read More

  • Lifespan Development

    1666 Words  | 4 Pages

    They may or may not cry when the caregiver leaves the room, and later when she returns, the babies actively seek contact with her, stop crying quickly, and soon return to previous activities. Another group of infants, based on Ainsworth's test, displayed insecure/avoidant attachment. These infants do not cry when caregivers leave the room and react in much the same way to strangers as to their caregivers. They do not usually reestablish connection on her return. If contact is established, the infant usually leans or looks away. A third group of infants displays a pattern described as insecure/ambivalent attachment. These babies usually cling to the caregiver and then resist her by fighting against the closeness. In the research, these infants often cling anxiously to the caregiver, cry loudly when she leaves, and push away if she tries to comfort them on her return. The final group of babies was described as having insecure/disorganized attachment. These babies were shown to be disorganized and disoriented. They may also appear dazed, confused and fearful.

    Read More

  • Attachment Theory And Child Development

    1308 Words  | 3 Pages

    Attachment theory(1977)has influenced how we care for toddlers and infants in the centre by interacting and creating an emotional bond. Caregivers should be sensitive and supportive of the child and the distress they may be in after they created the attachment with their main caregiver, which in Bowlby’s theory should be their mother. With this attachment theory the child has different phases and each of these phases are important to the child’s development and learning.

    Read More

  • Secure Insecure Attachment

    195 Words  | 1 Pages

    It is very interesting to know that attachment and the quality of care that infants receive during their first years of life is essential, for a good mental and health outcome. Infants need affection, and support from their parents. Love and attachment towards an infant will make them feel loved, lovable, and secured, also this connection will make a secure attachment between the infant and the caregiver. Infants that are secure attached to their parents will have more confidence in themselves, will be more socially skilled, competent, and empathetic, unlike children who were insecurely attached as infants. Insecure attachment has been linked to different disease like depression, anxiety, aggression and physical disease outcomes. Parents should

    Read More

  • Close Attachments In Infants

    463 Words  | 1 Pages

    "Attachment is the process through which people develop specific positive emotional bonds with others" (Newman, Newman, 2015). When infants develop attachments, the infant also develops trust for the one taking care of he/she. Usually, the infant develops trust with the parents nd the caregiver first because they are the ones that provide the love, protection, stimulation and comfort first. Have you ever noticed an infant after it has become accustomed to the first caretakers? The infant would cry in distress or when it is hungry or wet, the infant usually alerts the one who provides that comfort. That is how trust is built between them. Infants also develop the sounds and visual trust of the ones caring for it. Therefore, the infant searches for the person when in distress. As the caregiver comes back and forth, patterns are formed. Once formed, the infant knows what will happen next every time. From there on, the infant goes through preferential attachments. The infant may smile more at the caregiver's presence. But the next phase, the infant may want to play with the caregiver's face or hair, anything that brings close proximity to the infant (2015,p. 161).

    Read More

  • Relationships with Infants and Toddlers

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    A healthy shared relationship is crucial for the healthy development of an infant. According to the National Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiative, “Positive relationships between caregivers and infants help build healthy brains.” The assumption is that positive relationships accomplish more than just encourage development; they in fact are the building blocks for the brain....

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Attachment Theory

    1237 Words  | 3 Pages

    Too many changes in caregivers leaves the child reluctant in forming new trusting relationship. The fundamentals of Attachment Theory being defined as a strong tie with special people in our lives. For infants and toddlers, this attachment is far more than experiencing affection towards another person, it is a formative developmental process of all areas of the child’s

    Read More

  • Caregiver Attachments In Children

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    The importance of caregiver attachments have many implications on how a child develops. Children are able to handle stress better. The children are more adept at making relationships and expressing themselves, language lines up with their emotions. They feel at ease with interacting with new and unfamiliar things. The attachment to the care giver helps to build a sense of self-worth and an inner stability. Positive attachment bonds are much more than just being nice to the child. Strong bonds are formed by not only reaffirming the child but also by take care of the child by feeding and sheltering the individual. There is a vast difference in bonding and secure attachment bonding. The caregiver is coming in line with the child’s pace

    Read More

  • Infant Attachment: Impact on Future Social Competence

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    Attachment in infancy plays a huge role in a person’s future social competence. “Attachment is the positive emotional bond that develops between a child and a particular, special individual,” states Robert Feldman in Development across the Life Span (Feldman 186). Usually the first form of attachment is between a mother and her newborn. As soon as the baby is born doctors take the neonate for a quick check up and immediately place it on the mom’s chest. The mother and baby have had a very close relationship for nine months before birth. This is referred to as bonding. Development across the Life Span defines it as, “Close physical and emotional contact between parent and child during the period immediately following birth, argued by some to

    Read More

  • Infantive Development And Psychological Stages Of Infant Development

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    Infants learn to have an expectation of their needs of being feed, changed, and bathed and nurtured by their primary caregiver. Likewise caregivers learn to anticipate the needs of the little ones and fulfill the need. The foundation for developing a good network with the parent and child is in the familiarity and exchange process. This exchange builds a parent-infant attachment relationship. This is a vital stage in the development process. In any relationship being needy and having our needs met and attended to provide a sense of security. This is where the psychological phase begins. Infants can identify the difference in a stranger and their caregiver, down to the point of being able to distinguish their primary caregiver from their secondary caregiver. Stranger anxiety helps to develop cognitive development. Although, it can be stressful for the parent this is normal behavior and a healthy part of the development process. Children that maintain a secure attachment relationship from birth set the groundwork for future social connections throughout their life.

    Read More

  • Infants And Caregivers Influence Their Relationship In Childhood?

    92 Words  | 1 Pages

    In our study, we noticed that early strong and mutually satisfying relationship between infants and caregivers influence their relationship in childhood period. When infants have built strong ties with their caregivers, they feel more comfortable to express their needs and interests to them in childhood. However, when they begin to have more social support, their environment is changed and their protective factors increase. Therefore, social supports are essential to struggle with risk factors as they reduce threatening events, influence the coping strategies of parents, and providing affecting support (Osopsky & Thompson,

    Read More

More about Infant Relationship Essay

Open Document