3. “If growth is to proceed smoothly, the tissues must he exposed to
the influence of the appropriate organizer at certain critical periods.
In the same way, if mental development is to proceed smoothly, it
would appear to he necessary for the undifferentiated psyche to be
exposed during certain critical periods to the influence of the
psychic organizer- the mother.” Bowlby, 1951
4. Who is John Bowlby
graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1928
and was training in developmental psychology
performed volunteer work at a school for maladjusted
children after graduation
After His experiences with two children at the school
he decided to embark in child psychiatrist
5. Introduction
Bowlby worked under the supervision of Klein during
his training
Klein held that children’s emotional problems are
almost entirely due to fantasies generated from
internal conflict between aggressive and libidinal
drives, rather than to events in the external world
Bowlby didn’t agree with Kleinian approach so he
therefore decided to found his own research unit
whose efforts were focused on mother-child
separation.
6. Introduction
Bowlby claims that during the early years, while the
child acquires the capacity for self-regulation, the
mother is a child’s ego and superego
She orients him in space and time, provides his
environment, permits the satisfaction of some
impulses, restricts others.
Gradually he learns these arts himself, and as he does,
the skilled parent transfers the roles to him
7. Main point of Bowlby’s theory
A child has an inmate (ie inborn) need to attach to
one main attachment figure(ie monotropy)
one main attachment (usually the mother)
Relationship different(qualitatively) from any
subsequent attachment
Failure to initiate or a breakdown of martenal
attachment would lead to serious negative
consequences, possibly including affectionless
psychopathy.
Child behaves in ways that elicit contact or proximity
to the caregiver( crying, smiling, locomotion)
8. A child should receive the continuous care of
this single most important attachment figure for
approximately the first two years of life
Bowlby claimed that mothering is almost useless if
delayed until after 2 ½ to 3 years
First 12 months most critical
If attachment figure is broken or disrupted during this
period the child will suffer irreversible long term
consequences(cognitive, social and emotional
defficulties) of this deprivation.
9. The long term consequences of maternal
deprivation might include the following
Delinquency
Reduced intelligence
Increased aggression
Depression
Affectionless
10. Short term separation from an attachment figure
leads to distress. This was described by Bowlby
together with Robertson and called this the PDD
model
Protest: the child cries, screams and protest angrily
when the parent leaves
Despair: the child’s protesting begins to stop and they
appear to be calmer although still upset. The child
refuses other attempts for comfort and often seems
withdrawn and uninterested in anything.
Detachment: if separation continues the child will
start to engage with other people again. They will
reject the caregiver on their return and show strong
signs of anger
11. The child’s attachment relationship with their
primary caregiver leads to the development of
an internal working model
The model is a cognitive framework compromising
mental representation for understanding the world,
self and others
Consists of three main features: (1) a model of others
being trustworthy, (2) a model of the self as valuable
and, (3) a model of self as effective when interacting
with others
12. Bowlby’s conclusion
To grow up mentally healthy, “the infant and young child
should experience a warm, intimate, and continuous
relationship with his mother (or permanent mother
substitute) in which both find satisfaction and
enjoyment” (Bowlby, 1951)
13. References
The origins of attachment theory: John Bowlby and
Mary Ainsworth by Inge Bretherton
John-Bowlby-Attachment-Second-Edition-
Attachment-and-Loss-Series-Vol-1-1983
