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• • Previously, it was assumed that food and physical care was the most important thing in child development. However, Bowlby believed that children needed a warm, intimate, and continuous relationships with a mother (or permanent substitute) to ensure normal emotional health and psychological development. ​
• • He believed that infants need one important relationship (monotropy) in their formative years (critical period) with a primary-caregiver who is emotionally warm and affectionate. ​
• • Maternal deprivation is when a child experiences inadequate nurturing from their mother or primary caregiver due to physical or emotional absence, premature loss, or emotional neglect. ​​– can be long term such as the death of the mother or short term such as a mother going on a work trip. Can be emotional and physical
• ·       Deprivation (the disruption of the attachment) results in long-term cognitive, social, behavioural and emotional difficulties throughout life. ​
• ·       Bowlby believed that motherly love in infancy was essential for positive mental health. ​
• ·       Maternal deprivation will only have a damaging effect if it happens during the critical period (before 2 ½ years old). ​
• ·       However, this can be avoided if a permanent substitute is provided before the end of the critical period.​
• ·       Bowlby suggested that long-term consequences were emotional maladjustment, mental health problems, behavioural problems (including criminality) and abnormally low IQ.​
• ·       Lack of emotional care may also lead to “affectionless psychopathy” – the inability to experience guilt or strong emotional for others. This prevents the person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminal activity. ​
• ·       Maternal deprivation creates a negative internal working model – this will affect later childhood and adulthood relationships, including issues with romantic relationships and poor parenting. ​
• ·       Bowlby also theorised that this is irreversible – the consequences of maternal deprivation during the critical period cannot be reversed later in life.