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Infancy and toddlerhood psychology
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Biological and Psychological Factors The genetic makeup of a person, has also been argued as a contributing factor to the formation of BPD (Gunderson, 2009). For instance, heritability has been explored as a contributing factor mainly because of those who have a close relative who is affected, are more likely to be susceptible to developed BPD. The work of Linehan and Koerner looks at an inherited biological predisposition to emotional dysregulation as the catalyst and a core feature in the formation of BPD. As they look at the given dysregulation as the primer for sensitivity to emotional arousal causing extreme reactions while impairing the ability to return to an emotional baseline (Linehan, Koerner, 1993). However, a pre-biological disposition …show more content…
The unconscious as Fairbairn posits, is formed in childhood and is susceptible to parental neglect, insensitivity and abuse which later become dissociated memories. Fairbairn rationale asserts the role of the unconscious as a way to cope, base on the fact that these early experiences can be too extreme to tolerate consciously in childhood (Celani,1993) In his model, it is emphasized how these dissociated memories protect developing children from realizing how badly they are being treated and allow them to remain attached even to physically abusive caretakers (Celani,1993). As he looks at the bond formed by infants and their parents through early exchanges, along with the different forms of contact that happen in infancy, he points out how early relationships impact the emotional trajectory of a child’s life so deeply, that it also forms the basis of the emotional experiences that the child will have later on in life. This perspective looks at early libidinal objects as the prototypes for all later experience of connection with …show more content…
Clair, 2004). The splitting aspect of Fairbairn’s model holds how painful negative experiences of a bad object are kept in one part of the mind while splitting the exciting aspects of the bad object in another part, in order to survive and grasp a more suitable reality (Celani,1993; Greenberg & Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair, 2004). The ego split allows the child to view a bad object as both frustrating and exciting (Celani,1993; Greenberg & Mitchell, 1983; St. Clair,
During Erikson’s first developmental stage, Trust versus Mistrust, the child learns whether or not they can trust the world in which they live. As the infant begins to explore their environment they learn what a safe environment is, and this is largely due to the attachment formed with their parent or caregiver (Ashford & LeCroy, 2013, p. 245). Precious reports she did not begin to be physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by her parents until the age of three, so she may have developed some level of trust with her parents during this first developmental stage. However, with Erikson’s second stage of Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt, Precious likely began having problems resolving the conflicts presented in Erikson’s theory of development. This stage is typically entered into at the age of 18 months and lasts until around the age of three years. During this stage, primary tasks involve developing a greater sense of self control and independence (Ashford and LeCroy, 2013, p. 304). This is the age when Precious began being abused by her parents, and was therefore likely not able to successfully resolve her tasks. For instance, Precious was not allowed to take control of her body and was forced into acts involuntarily. Her mother also controlled what Precious ate, at times limiting the amount of food available to her and at other times forcing her to
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
After thoroughly examining different cases of maladjusted children, psychologist John Bowlby began to pioneer his work, linking patients’ childhood histories to the symptoms they showed. It appeared that the children’s behavior was affected by the parental deprivation and instances of separations they had since infancy. He also made medical breakthroughs when he discovered that parents’ childhood experiences also contribute significantly to the behavior of these emotionally troubled children (Bretherton, 1994, p. 762). Although he originally established the theory on the attachment behavioral system of a child, he ascribed that each child has a distinct way of appraising the receptiveness towards their primary caregivers and how they adjust their actions and behavior when responding to unfamiliar settings or threats.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects about 4% of the general population, and at least 20% of the clinical psychiatric population. (Kernberg and Michels, 2009) In the clinical psychiatric population, about 75% of those with the disorder are women. BPD is also significantly heritable, with 42-68% of the variance associated with genetic factors, similar to that of hypertension. BPD can also develop due to environmental factors such as childhood neglect and/or trauma, insecure attachment, and exposure to marital, family, and psychiatric issues. (Gunderson, 2011)
The history of BPD can be traced back to 1938 when Adolph Stern first described the symptoms of the disorder as neither being psychotic nor psychoneurotic; hence, the term ‘borderline’ was introduced (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2009, p. 15). Then in 1960, Otto Kernberg coined the term ‘borderline personality organization’ to describe persistent patterns of behavior and functioning consisting of instability, and distressed psychological self-organization (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2009, p. 15).
These experiences often result in impulsive actions and unstable relationships. A person with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from only a few hours to days”. (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml) I read that studies show that people with Borderline Personality Disorder have “structural and functional changes in the brain, especially in the areas that control impulses and emotional regulation”. (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml) People who suffer from BPD tend to have unstable moods which could last from anywhere from a few hours to even days. People with BPD also go through periods where they try to avoid real or imagined abandonment. People with this disorder are often impulsive and exhibit dangerous behaviors. These behaviors consist of going on shopping sprees having unsafe sex with people the use of various drugs and even as dangerous as reckless driving. People with BPD also have dangerous suicidal behaviors, and may also exhibit self-harming
Mary Main was Ainssowrth student. She therefore introduced another fourth category of attachment styles with her attachment studies with adults. During her longitudinal research project alongside her colleague Goldwyn on middle class children’s attachment styles, they found that about 79% of the time attachment styles remained constant from 18 months to 6 years of age (in Brandell & Ringel, 2007,). However in their observations about 5%) that did not fit into Ainsworth’s classification of attachment styles, which they called ‘disorganized/disoriented attachment’ (Main & Solomon, 1986, 1990). These children were fearful and engaged in repetitive or aggressive behaviors. Their behaviors at reunion were unpredictable. They displayed contradictory behavior patterns such as approaching and then suddenly avoiding or exhibiting misdirected behavior patterns such as crying when the stranger leaves or stereotypical behaviors such as rocking, hair pulling or freezing. The mothers of these children were either depressed or had unresolved grief due to early loss of own parents (Main & Solomon, 1986). In this type of attachment, there is no or very little organized strategy to cope with stress and to form an attachment relationship with the caregiver, because here, the attachment figure is the direct cause of distress or fear. An abusive, abandoned and frightening caregiver is the source of fear and the protector at the same time. The infant shows signs of distress and displays avoidant and inconsistent reactions in the presence of the caregiver (Bakermans-Kranenburg & van IJzendoorn, 2007; Stams et al, 2002).
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.
What happens during a child’s first years can be very crucial in how this individual turns out in adulthood. “Recurrence of episodes involving physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in the childhood.” (Diseases 1: Pais 3) Which means when a child experiences one of these traumatic events constantly they try to seek comfort. This is wher...
The indicators of BPD are dramatic and obvious. Those suffering from it tend to be significantly unstable in their interactions with other people as well as their behavior when alone. Impulse control and ability to discern moral decisions are significantly deteriorated in those with BPD and they are often destructive toward themselves and their relationships with others, if not outright violent. Casual contact with a sufferer of BPD might be deceptive because many are able to appear stable, but rapid and unpredictable mood and behavior shifts are common. Neglect and abuse, particularly sexual, are seen in almost all who are diagnosed with BPD. The lack of attachments during developmental years results in an inability to form or value attachments later in life. While reduced hippocampal volume is a brain deformation associated with PTSD as well as BPD, BPD also presents with a reduced amygdala volume which is possibly the cause of the notably increased aggression and reduced emotional stability of those with BPD (Lieb et al., 2004, pgs.
As billions of neural networks begin to form connections and patterns that will allow the child to important functions of the brain, a process called synaptic pruning gradually weakens or shuts down unutilized neural pathways (Myers & DeWall, 2016). In relation to this notion, childhood encompasses a period where early stimulation is crucial for normal learning behaviors and cognitive brain development (Myers & DeWall, 2016). It is suggested that there be a myriad of engaging stimuli for children before they surpass the critical period at adolescence, so as to avoid the pruning of neural pathways essential to leading a normal and fulfilled life. Such stimuli may include experiences of sounds, sights, and tastes, while premature babies have shown rapid neurological development when provided with skin-to-skin contact with their mothers (Myers & DeWall, 2016). Similarly, a suggestion for parents when handling their infant is to establish familiarity and body contact in order to promote secure parental attachment. Corresponding to the importance of stimuli in a child’s cognitive growth, these aspects of human attachment are highly critical to an infant’s social development as well. In order to promote a secure attachment style, a child must be familiarized with their caregiver through sight, sense, and sound and must be handled for emotional and
According to Lieb, Zanarini, Schmahl, Linehan, and Bohus (2004) study borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a “mental disorder with a characteristic pervasive in affect regulation, impulse control, interpersonal relationships, and self-image” (pg. 453). The study (2004) concluded that the cause of borderline personality disorder is complex but that genetic factors and advers...
Klein and Fairbairn are both object relations theorists who believed that early object relations significantly influence one’s development and personality. While they have this main commonality, they each have their own conceptualizations about healthy development, as well as the origins of psychopathology. The following paragraphs will attempt to first reiterate some of the major postulates of their theories and their notions of normal development, and then attempt to explain how they understand the emergence of neurosis.
Bio-Psychologists study the principles of biology as it relates to the comprehension of psychology in the field neuroscience that underlies ones emotions, ideology, and actions (Brittanica). Based upon the conduction of research, the relationship between the brain and ones behavior extends to the physiological process in one’s intellect. Scientists are cognizant that neurotransmitters function as a significant role in mood regulation and other aspects of psychological problems including depression and anxiety. A biological perspective are relevant to psychology in three techniques including: the comparative method, physiology, and the investigation of inheritance (Saul Mc. Leod).
Some factors that are explored in studies involves the genetics in a person, how parents treat their children, influences peers have and the situations that a person may experience throughout their childhood and adult life. There is a possible connection between the feelings of anxiety, aggression and fear with a genetic makeup in a person’s body (Huff, 2004). Research has even shown that if an individual was abuse, whether physical or verbally they are at risk for developing a personality disorder as well (Huff, 2004). Another interesting study conducted by Robert Krueger, PhD, exploring the influences that can contribute to the development of a personality disorder, looks at studying personality traits within identical twins who did not grow up together. In the study, it appeared that genetics contributed more to a person personality trait then the environment they were in. Krueger opinion was that “The predominant reason normal and abnormal personality are linked to each other is because they are linked to the same underlying genetic mechanisms” (Huff,