The Importance Of Attachment Theory On Child Development

When we observe the interactions between a parent and their child, we might expect to see a loving and caring relationship. The parent comforts their child in times of distress, provides nourishment and shelter, and an overall sense of security. We might also notice that when these needs are not met, the child 's behavior is immediately impacted. Why is this? As humans, we quite literally depend on the connections and feelings we receive from the people around us. It is an innate need that if a person is lacking it, will critically impact their behavior. In children, this attachment as it has come to be known, is not only important for the child 's well being, but has also been shown to influence their development. Since the attachments we

What 's more, attachment theory makes the suggestion that a person 's ability to formulate these "attachments" with others is directly related to their overall sense of security, which is necessary for developing skills that allow a person to develop and grow as a unique personality. Attachment theory itself first originated with the work of John Bowlby during the 1960 's, and was further adapted upon by Mary Ainsworth. At the time, Bowlby worked as a psychiatrist in an Orphanage located in London, where he worked with numerous emotionally disturbed children. This experience led Bowlby to consider the importance of the child’s relationship with their mother in terms of their social, emotional and cognitive development ( 2 ). But what really interested Bowlby was the significance between early childhood separations from the mother, and how these separations would further manifest as maladjustments in the child 's life. Interestingly, Bowlby noted [that] children who were exposed to prolonged periods of deprivation, were essentially “affectionless” ( 3 ). This affectionless state of mind is critical for us to understand when we take into account the probable causes of children growing up into societal