Unit 1 - Attachment theories

• Attachment


  A special relationship or bond between a child and people who are emotionally involved with them
• John Bowlby


  • Psychoanalyst who believed mental health and behavioural problems could be attributed to early childhood
  • Evolutionary theory of attachment suggests children come into the world biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others, because this will help them to survive
• Separation Anxiety


  A set of behaviours and actions that occur when a child is distressed as a result of the person or people they are attached to being absent
• Stages of Separation Anxiety

  • Protest
  • Despair
  • Detachment
• The role of the mother was over-emphasised in Bowlby's theory
• Attachments to more than one person were not explored in Bowlby's theory
• The quality of substitute care was not considered in Bowlby's theory
• Mary Ainsworth's 'stranger situation'


  Experiments involving babies' reactions to being left with a stranger and then being reunited with their mothers (or fathers)
• The results of Ainsworth's 'stranger situation' showed some babies were more securely attached than others
• In nurseries and pre-schools, the 'key worker' system was introduced as a result of Ainsworth's research
• In hospitals, parents being able to stay with children was a result of Ainsworth's research
• How the theories can be applied

  • Make sure each child has a key worker and time to become settled
  • Settling in procedures must be flexible
  • Find out about past separations - communicate with parents
  • Build a relationship with children before their parents leave for the first time
  • Consider the routines of the day - does this build in key worker time?
  • Work closely with the parents to provide continuity of care
  • Make sure you show unconditional care for the child
• Attachment Disorder


  The condition in which individuals have difficulty forming lasting relationships, often showing nearly a complete lack of ability to be genuinely affectionate with others, typically failing to develop a conscience and not learning to trust
• Long term consequences of maternal deprivation

  • Delinquency
  • Reduced intelligence
  • Increased aggression
  • Depression
  • Affection psychopathy - an inability to show affection or concern for others, acting on impulse with little regard for the consequences of their actions
• Attachment


  A special relationship or bond between a child and people who are emotionally involved with them
• John Bowlby


  • Psychoanalyst who believed mental health and behavioural problems could be attributed to early childhood
  • Evolutionary theory of attachment suggests children come into the world biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others, because this will help them to survive
• Bowlby's Theory


  • Monotropy - babies need to form ONE main attachment usually the mother
  • Critical period - usually within the first year of life, prolonged separation in the first four years would cause long term damage
  • Children need 'parenting'
  • Children show distress when separated from their main carer
  • Internal working models
• Separation Anxiety


  A set of behaviours and actions that occur when a child is distressed as a result of the person or people they are attached to being absent
• Stages of Separation Anxiety

  1. Protest

  2. Despair

  3. Detachment
• The role of the mother was over-emphasised in Bowlby's theory
• Attachments to more than one person were not explored in Bowlby's theory
• The quality of substitute care was not considered in Bowlby's theory
• Quality of Attachments


  Further research by Mary Ainsworth looked at the 'quality' of attachment, using the 'stranger situation' test
• The results of Ainsworth's 'stranger situation' test showed some babies were more securely attached than others
• Implications of attachment research

  • Introduction of a 'key' worker system in nurseries and pre-schools
  • Parents able to stay with children in hospitals
• How attachment theories can be applied

  • Make sure each child has a key worker and time to become settled
  • Settling in procedures must be flexible
  • Find out about past separations - communicate with parents
  • Build a relationship with children before their parents leave for the first time
  • Consider the routines of the day - does this build in key worker time?
  • Work closely with the parents to provide continuity of care
  • Make sure you show unconditional care for the child
• Attachment Disorder


  The condition in which individuals have difficulty forming lasting relationships, often showing nearly a complete lack of ability to be genuinely affectionate with others, typically failing to develop a conscience and not learning to trust