Attachment

what did Harlow find about attachment?

monkeys preferred the soft mother even though she had no food

emotional needs are crucial for primate survival

what did bowlby suggest?

infants have an innate primary drive to form attachments

biologically programmed

what are key infant behaviours?

1. proximity seeking

2. contact maintenance

3. resistance

4. avoidance

what is secure attachment?

can interact with unfamiliar adults

are able to separate from caregiver

seek proximity with positive affect

are able to return to play

what percentage of children are securely attached?

56% - 80%

what is insecure-avoidant attachment?

avoid proximity upon reunion

explore room independently

show little preference between caregiver and stranger

ignore parents

what percentage of children are insecurely avoidant?

16% - 28%

what is insecure resistant attachment?

are preoccupied with caregiver

highly distressed by separation

resist attempts of closeness upon reunion

not easily soothed

what percentage of children are insecure resistant?

6% - 12%

what is disorganised attachment?

behave in an inconsistent or odd manner

fearful in presence of caregiver

may freeze when see caregiver

do not show a consistent strategy for dealing with caregiver

what are the adult attachment types?

1. autonomous (secure)

2. dismissing (avoidant)

3. preoccupied (resistant)

4. unresolved (disorganised)

how is attachment measured in older children?

1. interviews

2. the Q-sort (parents sort cards with phrases of the Childs personality into categories)

3. the Manchester child attachment story task (projective method, child enacts different scenarios using dolls)

how is attachment measured in adults?

the adult attachment interview (semi-structured interview)

what are some predictors of attachment? (7)

1. genetics

2. caregiver sensitivity

3. culture

4. temperament

5. parental mental health

6. intergenerational transmission

7. stability

outline genetic influences

possible influence of allelic variants of serotonin transporter gene

gene DRD4, involved in dopamine system, associated with disorganised attachment

outline caregivers sensitivity

secure = caregiver sensitive and responsive

avoidant = caregivers distant, irritable and angry

resistant = caregivers unpredictable

disorganised = caregivers confusing and frightening

outline culture as a predictor of attachment

findings of strange situation found to be similar across numerous cultures and supports secure attachment is a universal phenomenon

differences = germany - higher avoidant and Japan - higher resistant

outline temperament as a predictor of attachment

certain aspects, particularly mood and distress to limits, are associated with the development of secure attachment

secure infants more likely to express distress and seek comfort from caregivers when frustrated or restricted

outline parental mental health as a predictor of attachment

infants of mothers with depression = more likely to be insecurely attached

infants of mothers with BPD = more likely to be disorganised attachment

outline intergenerational transmission as a predictor of attachment

autonomous mothers → secure child

dismissing mothers → insecure-avoidant child

preoccupied mothers → insecure resistant

outline stability as a predictor of attachment

Study found that when completing the strange situation as an infant and the adult attachment interview as an adult - 64% had the same attachment, 36% changed

Why? Same = internal working models, change = experience

how does attachment predict social and cognitive outcomes?

secure = better outcomes

disorganised = poorer outcomes

explained by securely attached children displaying greater motivation, receiving more social support and developing more positive peer relationships

how does attachment predict Childs emotion competence?

emotion competence = ability to understand, express, regulate and respond to emotions effectively

secure = greater emotion competence

likely due to environments that promote emotional discussion, validation of feelings and supportive communication

how does attachment predict child’s emotional and behavioural problems?

insecure = greater behavioural problems, stronger affect in boys

insecure = anxiety, particular during adolescence

not in isolation, when additional risk factors were present (eg poverty, father absences and low maternal education)

what theories underpin attachment-based interventions?

1. social learning theory

2. attribution theory

3. family system theory

Which factors predict treatment response and dropout?

• Child factors (comorbidity and severity)

• Parent factors (mental health)

• Familial factors (socio-economic background)

• Brief interventions more effective - less time, clear aims and better adherence

describe Child-parent psychotherapy

suitable for traumatised families

focuses on current circumstances, emotional communication and better emotion regulation

decreases in disorganised attachment rates and PTSD symptoms

describe circle of security

encourages reviewing parenting videos, reflecting on child’s needs and discuss with other parents

after = there was increases in rates of security of attachment

describe attachment and behavioural catch-up

focuses on children that may reject care, problems with self-regulation and foster parents experiencing parenting difficulties

aims to foster sensitive parenting, reduce frightening behaviour and better parent-child relationship

after = decreases in disorganised attachment, decreases in child cortisol levels and increases in sensitive parenting

describe group attachment-based intervention

suitable for parents who have experienced poverty, trauma and violence

targets social isolation, poor impulse control and parent-child relationships

after = maternal sensitivity, child engagement and positive mother-child interactions

describe video feedback intervention programme

suitable for parents of children with behavioural problems

focuses on parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline

prompts responding to child’s needs, sharing emotions and reinforcement for positive behaviours

after - decreases in cortisol in children with the DRD4-7 but not in children without

what are the common mechanisms of the attachment-based interventions?

increasing caregiver sensitivity

improving responses to children’s signals

enhancing emotional communication

strengthening supportive relationships

write a plan for the question “which factors predict individual differences in attachment”

environmental influences = caregiver sensitivity and parenting

biological influences = temperament (positive moods and distress to limits) and genetics (serotonin transporter gene and dopamine-related DRD4 gene)

social influences = cultural and intergenerational transmission

write a plan for the question “does attachment have an effect on children’s socio-emotional, cognitive and behavioural outcomes?”

affect on social and cognitive outcomes - secure and disorganised, explain why?

affects emotion competence (ability to understand, express, regulate and respond to emotions) and explain why

affects behavioural and emotional problems - using research and suggest interaction with risk factors

write a plan for the question “which parenting interventions are based on attachment theory”

write about what each focus on and the after affects

1. child-parent psychotherapy

2. the circle of security

3. attachment and bio behavioural catch-up

4. group attachment-based intervention

5. video-feedback intervention

write about the common mechanisms