Interpreting John Bowlby's Attachment Theory

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Throughout my essay I am going to be evaluating, describing and explaining the work of John Bowlby and his Attachment theory. I will start off my writing explaining to you, the reader, what attachment is and how it is defined. I will continue to give you a brief description on the theorist in discussion ‘John Bowlby’ and a little bit of information on his background. In the next part of my essay I will describe Bowlby’s theory of attachment, I will also describe the stages of attachment in which the infant goes through. I will finally converse how a social care practitioner could use John Bowlby’s attachment theory in their everyday work with clients.

Attachment is defined as the bond that a child has with their care giver which endures through space and time. Bonding is the relationship formed by the mother or caregiver to the child (Ainsworth et al 1978). Bowlby stated that attachment is a basic human need which is a vital as food and water. During the formation of a relationship, the adult and child influence the actions of the other. The stage of attachment is an important building block for future relationships and development.
John Bowlby mainly developed the …show more content…

After qualifying in medicine he specialised in child psychiatry and psychoanalysis. In 1946 he joined the staff of the Tavistock clinic where his research and influential publications contributed to far-reaching changes in the ways children are treated and the radically new thinking about the social and emotional development of human beings. He held honorary degrees from the Universities of Cambridge and Leicester and received awards from professional and scientific bodies, including the royal college of psychiatrists, The British paediatric association, the society for research and child development, the American Psychological association and the New York academy of medicine”. (Bowlby

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