Week 7: attachment and parenting

What is attachment as a relationship?

Attachment is an emotional bond between an infant and their caregiver.

It is not present at birth but develops over time, influenced by the relationship with the caregiver.

Changes as the child grows and interacts more with their caregiver.

How does caregiving impact attachment?

Sensitive, responsive caregiving strengthens attachment

However intrusive, irritable, unaffectionate, or neglectful caregiving may harm attachment development

How do family and community influence attachment?

Attachments are influenced by family dynamics, community support, socioeconomic status (SES), food security, safety, family violence, and substance use.

Social support can help alleviate challenges and promote secure attachments.

What is the continuity in attachment?

The care parents received as children influences their parenting style and their child's attachment.

The Internal Working Model reflects how parents interact based on their childhood experiences. Parents often re-create the relationships they had as children with their own kids.

How do attachment and parenting styles relate?

The way children form attachments (like feeling secure or unsure with their caregivers) often matches how their parents act emotionally.

In children: secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-ambivalent

Parents' emotional responses and behaviors: autonomous, dismissing, preoccupied

How does attachment in childcare settings compare to home settings?

Research shows that infants in childcare are not more likely to be insecurely attached than those not in care.

Poor-quality childcare can worsen attachment difficulties, but high-quality care can provide children with opportunities to form secure attachments.

Can attachment change over time?

Can be stable or shift.

Changes in family circumstances, financial improvement or less stress, can shift attachment from insecure to secure.

Conversely, events like divorce or the death of a parent can lead to insecure attachment.

What are the implications of attachment on behavior?

Secure attachment promotes problem-solving skills, less frustration, more symbolic play, social competence, and better emotional understanding in infants.

How do parenting styles affect socialization?

Socialization is bidirectional, meaning both the parent's and child's behavior influence each other. Over time, this relationship is transactional, with both parents and children affecting each other's development.

What are the characteristics of the authoritarian parenting style?

High control and low warmth. They enforce strict rules and expect obedience without explanation.

What are the characteristics of the authoritative parenting style?

Balanced control and warmth. They set clear rules and expectations while being responsive and open to their children's needs and viewpoints.

What are the characteristics of the permissive parenting style?

show high warmth but low control. They are lenient and often avoid setting firm boundaries or expectations.

What are the characteristics of the uninvolved parenting style?

show low warmth and low control. They are neglectful and may be indifferent to their child's needs and behaviors.