Attachment is the emotional bond between infants and their primary caregivers, usually parents. Secure attachment develops through parents responding contingently to infants' needs, which builds trust. There are four phases of infant attachment between birth and two years as they increasingly seek out familiar caregivers for comfort and security. Insecure attachments can form if caregivers are emotionally unavailable or depressed. The quality of early attachment relationships influences later social skills, self-esteem, and relationship functioning.

1. ATTACHMENT
Between Parents and
Infants
Cecily Gordon

2. What Is Attachment?
 According to the textbook, attachment is
defined as “the emotional tie to a parent
experienced by an infant, from which the
child derives security” (Boyd, D. et al, 2015).
 Understanding both parental and infant bonds to
each other is necessary to understand attachment.
Image 1: Parents engaging with infant

3. Parents
Attachment to
Infants
In order for a parent to bond with their infant, a pattern called
synchrony is required. Synchrony is a two-way behavior between
the parent and baby. For example, if a baby cries, a parent should
respond to the child’s needs.
Attachment to the infant occurs over time and is developed through
attention and patterns.
Image 2: Father responding to baby’s cries

4. Studies show that emotional availability by the primary caregiver is crucial
to necessary to grow a secure attachment. The caregiver must be willing to
put their infants needs in front of their own.
A caregiver should be present to respond to the infants verbal and non-verbal
cues. This act is called contingent responsiveness.
Caregiver’s Emotional Responsiveness
Image 3: Mother laughing with baby

5. Infants
Attachment to
Their Parents
Attachment to parents is developed through four phases,
as suggested by Bowlby.
Phase One: Birth to 3 months – babies look for attention by crying, clinging, and cuddling.
Phase Two: 3 to 6 months – babies focus more on individuals whom they spend time with rather
than strangers they don’t know as well.
Phase Three: 6 to 24 months – infants should to caregivers, such as parents or babysitters. When
under stress, they search for favored individuals.
Phase Four: 24+ months – children imagine how their actions may affect their relationships with
their caregivers. This lasts throughout life.
Image 4: Parents boding with baby

6. Behaviours of Attachment
 Clinging to a desired
individual when around
strangers.
Stranger Anxiety Separation Anxiety
 Crying or acting out when
separated from a desired
individual
Infants emotions can be guided by facial expressions of people around
them. This is called social referencing.
Image 5: Child clinging to father

7. Attachment Classification
Secure Attachment
Infants are open to
separation from the
parent but looks to
them when stressed.
Ambivalent Attachment
Infants are not willing to
separate from parent. The
parents return does not
comfort them.
Avoidant Attachment
Infants avoid parents and
show no favor to them over
other adults.
Disorganized/Disoriented
Attachment
Infant appears uncertain, may
move towards their parent but
avoids eye contact.

8. Contributing Factors
Marital and Socioeconomic Status
-If an infant has parents who are married, they are more likely
to have a secure attachment. This may be due to other
characteristics, such as financial aspects, education, or age.
Mental Health
-Infants with a depressed mother seem to show less positive
emotions. Insecure attachments may be formed, possibly leading to
later problems such as aggression.
-A mother with depression does not guarantee a poor attachment. It
depends on the “mother-infant interactions”. (Boyd, D. et al, 2015).
Image 6: Dollar sign

9. Attachment Quality Consequences
- Studies show that infants with secure attachments lead
to positive behaviors when socializing, have higher self-
esteem, and are more successful.
- A study suggested that attachment can predict sexual
dysfunction later in life.
- Infants with secure attachment will often create the
same with their children when they are adults.
- Attachment relationships are the foundation for future
relationships with other people.

10. My Attachment
As a child, I had a secure attachment
with my parents. I was able to
separate from my parents but looked
to them in times of need.
Since then, I would say that I am able
to make strong social connections, and
have so far been successful.

11. My Future
Attachment
In the future, I look forward to having
kids. The knowledge I gained from this
presentation will help me form an
attachment with my babies.
Hopefully, since I had a strong, stable
attachment with my parents, that will
help me with future attachments with
my kids.

12. Relevance to My Profession
My long-term goal is to end up
working as a nurse in maternity or
pediatrics.
Having the knowledge from this
presentation will not only assist me
when interacting with infants, it will
help me teach new mothers the
importance of building a relationship
with their babies.
Figure 7: Nurse teaching mother

13. References
Bee, H., Boyd, D., Johnson, P. (2015). Lifespan Development. Don Mills, Ontario: Pearson Canada Inc.
Image one retrieved from: http://kera-kids.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/parents_landing_page_01.
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Image two retrieved from:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/17/article-2310354-1956C8F5000005DC-838_634x592.jpg
Image three retrieved from:
https://www.mplex.org/Portals/6/images/Site%20-%20Page%20Thumbnails/Mother-Infant-Page-
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Image four retrieved from: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1316346/images/o-BABIES-facebook.jpg
Image five retrieved from: http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Toddler-Stranger-Anxiety-
article.jpg
Image six retrieved from: http://img.wikinut.com/img/3nqh-9zavxssp6nn/jpeg/0/Dollar-Sign.jpeg
Image seven retrieved from: https://mfk1779.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/17.jpg