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Secure Attachments In Children

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In the normal development of every individual, the need to form secure attachments with their parents is present. Developmental theorists have even categorized attachment as a basic need of every human being, (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Secure attachments take place when the physical and emotional needs of the child are constantly provided, particularly during the first two years of life. Healthy attachments will make children internalize their parents as figures of trust; this in turn will make them perceive their parents with an image of security, stability, and dependence. Healthy parent-child attachment is necessary to allow the child to develop interdependence and learn to engage in reciprocally pleasurable interactions. Securely attached …show more content…

Some distinctive characteristics and behaviors of individuals suffering RAD include, but not limited to: random affection to strangers, lack of affection to caregivers (particularly mother), refusing or hesitant to receive affection, hyperactivity and impulsivity, vandalism, cruelty against animals, aggression towards self or others, significant language and motor delay, lack of self-control, social disinhibition, and withdrawn, (Day, 2001; Gleason et al., 2011; Richters & Volkmar, 1994). Although RAD shares some clinical signs with depression, the disorder can be present without it, (Gleason et al., …show more content…

Long-term continuation of RAD in children may lead to the further deterioration of behavior, with increasing levels of manipulation and violence as they move to adolescence. Individuals who do not respond effectively to treatment often become psychopaths in adulthood, (Day, 2001; Gleason et al., 2011). Pediatricians are usually the first to notice some signs of the condition. Among some of the professional organizations that actively work and warn the public regarding this disorder are: the Amecican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), the American Psychological Association’s Division on Child, Youth and Family Services, Advocates for Children in Therapy, and Institute for Attachment and Child Development, (Chaffin et al., 2006; Forester, 2014; “Reactive Attachment Disorder …”, 2011); and many other national and local government

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Attachment theory states that either secure or insecure bonds may form between infant and mother in the first several months of the infant’s life for the purposes of safety and security. The bond formed between infant and mother influences the quality of the relationships a child has throughout his or her life. One major reasoning of the attachment theory is that the parents are a sanctuary of safety throughout all of early childhood. Insecure attachments promote feelings of threat, rejection, and personal unworthiness. This can also be the explanation for the dream children stashing food away because of the possible threat that there,” will come a time when they will not be fed” (Smith 99).Unhealthy attachments not only lead to poor caregiver-child relationships, but can also cause a dysfunctional self-development, defective relationships, substance abuse problems, and educational difficulties.

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When attachment is formed with a loving caregiver or parent who is able to provide support, love, and guidance along with the basic human needs, attachment can be reinforced and healthy (VBH). Educating children and parents-to-be of consequences of ineffective parenting might reduce the incidence of RAD in children (Lehman & Jegtvig, 2004). Children with RAD are not completely lost with their ability to form attachments, those who have been diagnosed and seek treatment early with hopeful learn to be able to recognize and manage their behaviors and feeling as well as creating healthy relationship in their future. It is important to first get the child in a safe house with caregivers who genuinely care about them and are willing to work on developing positive interactions with the child. By using treatment methods like dyadic developmental therapy, integrative play therapy, and parent skills training are all credible techniques to help build trust and attachment.

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Nancy Thomas’ book Dandelion on My Pillow, Butcher Knife Beneath includes a portion written by a foster daughter named Beth who suffered from RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder). Beth’s memories provide a unique perspective into the thought patterns of a child with RAD. She demonstrates that common symptoms of RAD begin as habits for coping with abuse. Children with RAD try to stay strong enough to control every situation and stay safe from abuse. Parents and teachers have to convince these children to give up their obstinacy, anger, and dishonesty in order to heal them.

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Cindy Hazan and Philip Shaver in 1980 were able to move the theory of attachment and children into developed theories of attachment on adulthood relationships. They found that even in cases of adults a strong attachment is still very important, Hazan and Shaver (1980) concluded that a balance intimacy with independence within a relationship is best, if the attachment was too strong both parties would be over dependent, and if the attachment was weak there would be a lack of intimacy with feeing of inadequacy (Hazan and Shaver, 1980). Many past findings have suggested that secure attachment is related to high levels of self-esteem; such is found evident in Wilkinson (2004) research about the role of parental and peer attachment in the psychological

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Although we are studying theories, some of them appear to explain human behavior and personality with certain accuracy. John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth theories of attachment can also explain what happens to people when attachment to their parents or caregivers is healthy or potential problems that could occur due to detachments. They suggest that individuals raised with secure attachments to their primary caregivers help them to feel secure; moreover, these children appear to be more socially skilled and less likely to experience major emotional disturbances. However, failure to form healthy attachments, especially mother-child, could serve as a descriptive mechanism for many negative psychological outcomes later in the life of an individual,

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Attachment is an important component of a relationship between the parent and child, in order to ensure that the child feels safe, protected, and secure. In addition, a child can develop attachment with different caregivers regardless of their level of care (Benoit, 2004). Aura’s grandmother was her primary caregiver who provided both physical and emotional care consistently and always responded in loving ways when she became emotionally upset or needed support in school. Although Aura’s mother was not always physically available, Aura shared that she felt positively connected to her mother as she demonstrated interest, care, and concern when Aura reached out to her for support. Thanks to Aura’s caregivers comforting and positive responses

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The attachment theory helps us understand the complexity of human relationships and how a disruption on early attachment can affect a child’s development therefore it helps professionals develop intervention strategies and programs that can focus on building or reinforcing relationships that can help the child develop into a healthier environment. Intervention strategist have been developed in order to improve attachment disruptions/traumas in children (Zilbestein, 2014a). There are two best known treatments for older children with attachment disruptions, Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) and Dyadic Developmental Therapy (DDT) both treatments aim in helping build new relationships between caregivers and children. There is little evidence

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Some children that have been grossly mistreated, neglected or abused fail to create secure attachments. Secure attachment is vital to the formation of the Childs sense of self and others that pave the way and sets up the course that guides the emotional and behavioral reactions that follow him through life (Hornor, 2008). It has been shown that failure to have positive experiences as well as abuse and neglect causes those memory systems to be filled with fear, mistrust and rejection (Mikic & Terradas, 2014). Since children with RAD learn at an early age not to trust their primary caregivers to attend to their needs, they learn how to fend for themselves which leads to many antisocial behaviors that continue into adulthood. Studies have shown that children with Reactive Attachment Disorder have neurological

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With research, it has become apparent that there is a correspondence between mothers and children on the basis that attachment. Attachment depends on the reaction from mothers to her child’s emotional cues. (Feldman, 2012, Chapter

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Good parenting skills are essential to put children on the right track. Whether it’s being there when they’re going through a rough time in life or helping with picking out the right college, their impact is huge on their child’s life, for the moment at hand and for the individual's future. Parents have an extremely important role in the early life of a child. An important quality to have as a parent is responsiveness as it plays an important role for a child’s foundation to develop optimally. Although parenting cannot change the child’s personality as personality is decided at birth (Connor), parents that provide positive affection and respond in ways that correlate to the child’s signals maintains and increases the interests for the child (Landry).

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Attachment is something we see through many stages of development. We see it through early childhood, adolescent, young adult, we even see it through the adult stage. Though not all attachment is good a certain disorder caught me eye which is attachment disorder, or sometimes called Relative Attachment Disorder (RAD). There can be different causes of this disorder but a few of them are if the child was exposed to traumatic or stressful events, such as the child was deprived at some level at a very young age, either food, comfort, or affection. Another cause is that the child was not able to make a secure attachment to their primary caregiver, either from a neglectful parent or from being moved around in foster care at a young age.

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By doing this, a baby’s dependence on their parents, allows him or her to explore their environment. Two reasons infants and children can be robbed of a healthy attachment are, because they’ve been placed into foster care or they have been neglected or abused. Because of this a child’s normal development is being tampered with causing emotional disorders like RAD (Stinehart, Scott and Barfield, 2012). RAD involves levels of pathogenic care that contribute to the development of this disorder, which include; separation from or absence of a caregiver or pain in infancy or childhood. Along with the pathogenic care, there are two primary subtypes of RAD.

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The theory of infant attachment is a topic that has been widely researched and discussed for many years. As research has progressed, how variables can effect this state has become a topic of focus, one of which being the intergenerational effects and links, especially the result a mother can have on their offspring and their attachment type. The two papers I shall be comparing and contrasting in this essay are investigations into this subject. Whilst Gratz et al. (2015)

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Overview of Attachment Theory Attachment theory tries to describe the evolution of personality and behaviour in relationships and it gives a reason for the difference in a person’s emotional and relationship attitudes. In the beginning, it looked at the mechanics of relationships between children and their parents but it has since been expanded to cover the entire life of the human being (Howe, 2000). Attachment theory includes insights learned from evolutionary theory, ethology, systems theory and developmental psychology (Howe, 2001).

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Attachment in early life is a fundamental aspect of child development and the establishment of intimate and reciprocal relationships with caregivers. Shaffer & Kipp (2007) define attachment as ‘a close emotional relationship between two persons, characterized by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity’. Contrary to the original view of infant attachment as a ‘secondary drive’ of the dependency on caregivers for physiological needs, such as hunger; Bowlby (1969, 1973) proposed that all infants are born with an innate bias to form an attachment to a primary attachment figure to whom they can seek comfort, or a ‘secure base’ during stressful circumstances. It is proposed by Ainsworth (1967) that parental sensitivity is crucial to shaping the security and development of the initial infant-parent attachment relationship, however the phenomenon of attachment requires both infants and caregivers to contribute in the formation of the attachment bond. Ultimately, the quality of attachment in early life shapes both the social and emotional

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