explores early relationships and attachment

1. Attachment
Understanding the Root of Relationships

2. Attachment Is..
• the development of the human bond between
infant/toddlers and parents or other
caregivers.
• a framework for developing other
relationships.
• not present at birth but develops over time
and progresses through stages. (Deiner, 2009)
• Dr. Ann Corbitt: Bonding and Attachment video clip

3. Attachment Theorist
• John Bowlby
– studied orphaned infants and was struck by the
orphans fear and apathy.
• His research concluded that children need a
warm and continuous relationship with a
mother figure. Without this the children
would be emotionally damaged. (Deiner, 2009)
– Quantitative vs. qualitative

4. Am I Lovable?
• A key feature of attachment is the child’s
notion of how acceptable or unacceptable he
considers himself to be in the eyes of his
attachment figures (Bowlby, 1958).
• When attachment develops from healthy,
positive relationships, the child has
expectations of comfort and security and the
sense of being worthy of such comfort and
security.(Honig, 2002)

5. Attachment Theorist
• Mary Ainsworth
• Studied mother-infant relationships in Uganda
and Baltimore.
– Similar behaviors=universal behaviors
• Took Bowlby’s research further and
systematically investigated the theory of
attachment through the development of the
Strange Situation. (Deiner, 2009)

6. Separation Anxiety
• Phenomenon related to attachment
–Normal developmental experience
• Begins in the 6-15 months age range
–Exhibited by securely attached as well as
insecurely attached infants

7. Strange Situation
A mother and child (between 12- 24 months)
• unfamiliar room
• contains two chairs and a few appropriate toys
for the child to play with.
• The mother stays with the toddler for 3 minutes
and then leaves.
• A stranger enters the room and stays for 3
minutes
• The mother returns and mother/infant are
reunited. (Honig, 1993)

8. Strange Situation
• Procedure allows observation before, during
and after separation.
• Observation focus on behaviors related to
– proximity seeking
– maintaining contact
– as well as more negative behaviors of protest. (Deiner,
2009)
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU&feature=related

9. Types of Attachment
• Secure
• Ambivalent/Insecure
• Avoidant/Insecure
• Disoriented/Insecure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrcNjFyWeWE&feature=related

10. Secure Attachment
• Toddlers will protest at being left alone or in
strange unfamiliar setting.
– Crying, fussing, disruption of play behavior
– can’t be consoled by strange adult
• Seeks proximity of primary caregiver
– calms down returns to play/exploration
• Seek out primary caregiver when scared, hurt,
hungry etc.
• Primary caregiver is sensitive & responsive to
child’s needs. (Dozier et al., 2002)

11. Secure Attachment
The way a child attaches to its caregiver plays
out later in preschool social competence.
Securely attached preschoolers are…
1. Harmonious
2. Less Controlling
3. Responsive and happier in their play

12. Older toddlers who are securely
attached:
• Tend to approach challenging tasks with
enthusiasm
• Try to problem solve rather than give up
• Are more compliant with their mothers
helpful suggestions (Honig, 2002)

13. Support and Limits
• Secure attachment = a base for toddlers to
accept parent’s limit setting.
• When there is insecure attachment
Parents…
– have greater difficulty setting limits and
boundaries
– providing the support during struggles that
toddlers have with autonomy. (Sroufe et al., 2005)

14. Secure Adults
• find it relatively easy to get close to others
• are comfortable depending on others and
having others depend on them.
• don't often worry about being abandoned or
about someone getting too close to them.
• Usually has a securely attached child.

15. Attachment disorders
• Failure to develop appropriate attachment
patterns may cause toddler to withdraw or
shun social interaction.
• Attachment problems can be related to the
behavior pattern of the caregiver who plays a
crucial role in the development of attachment.
– Parental stress/depression/separation (Deiner, 2009)

16. Avoidant Attachment
• Toddlers
– neither protest when Primary Caregiver leaves or immediately
acknowledges when P.C. returns.
– Will become busy exploring or seek out unfamiliar adult.
– Organized defense strategy.
• Parents
– tend to minimize/dismiss importance of attachment .
– When child is scared parent may say “there is nothing to be scared of”
or “this is silly "or “you need to grow up” or “don’t bother me”.
• If parents consistently do not respond to child’s concerns the
child learns that parent will not respond to his concerns.
• They may look then turn away based on memory of previous
experiences –behavior is adaptive of situation they are in. (Dozier et al.,
2002)

17. Avoidant /Insecure Adults
• are somewhat uncomfortable being close to
others
• find it difficult to trust others completely and
allow themselves to depend on others.
• are nervous when anyone gets too close, and
often, love partners want them to be more
intimate than they feel comfortable being.
• Usually has avoidantly attached child.

18. Resistant/Ambivalent Attachment
• Toddler
– is distressed when P.C leaves but will contact her upon
return but usually with anger.
– Not comforted by P.C.’s return but unable to resume
play
– organized response to inconsistent care giving.
• Parents of these toddlers show similar ambivalent
feelings towards own parents
– Parent overly involved, felt unable to please parents
• Pre-occupied with attachment relationships (Dozier et al., 2002)

19. Resistant/Ambivalent Insecure
Adults…
• find that others are reluctant to get as close as
they would like.
• often worry that their partner doesn't really
love them or won't want to stay with them.
• want to merge completely with another
person, and this desire sometimes scares
people away.
• Usually has ambivalently attached child.
Avoidant Attachment & Disorganized Attachment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDh1C-PubYQ&feature=related

20. The Foundation
Attachment sets the stage
for the child’s development
in all domains therefore it
is imperative that a secure
attachment is the priority
for all those who work with
young children.

21. Attachment to Early Childhood
Caregivers
Love is the first ingredient
• Infants become more secure with caregivers
who nourish, protect and are available on a
consistent basis.
Respect
• Treat each child as a well-loved person

22. Home Sweet Home Base
As the attachment system evolves it interacts with 2
other emerging systems:
– Exploration / curiosity
– Fear / wariness
• A fearful or worried child is less likely to explore adventurously.
• A well cuddled baby with an available and intimately in-tuned
caregiver is more likely to feel secure enough to toddle off and
explore her world knowing that her special attachment figure is
there for her. (Honig, 2009)

23. Continuity of Care
Secure Attachment happens when…
• Caregiver consistently responds to child’s
needs in a loving way
• Children have sustained experience (2+ years)
with a special caregiver.

24. Attachment & Cognitive Development
• Loving and Learning are
intertwined
• Secure attachments
prepare children to be
confident and
independent learners
with strong social skills
• Problem Solving is more
successful when the
child feels loved and
worthy.