Attachment

What did Bowlby say that was revolutionary?

Mother love in infancy as important as good and vitamins

What are the 4 stages of Bowlby’s theory?

1. Pre attachment,

2. In-the-making,

3. Clear cut

4. Reciprocal relationships

Pre-attachment

0-6 months: when baby cries mother gives comfort

In-the-making

6-8 months: trust mum will respond when signalled, preference for family

Clear cut

8 months- 1.5 years: Infant actively seeks caregiver, secure base

Reciprocal relationships

1.5-2 years +: Understanding of parents goals and feelings, less separation anxiety

What’s a criticism of Bowlby’s theories?

Very mother-centric

Who did the strange situation?

Mary Ainsworth

What does the strange situation assess and how?

Assesses attachment style of 12-24 months old.

Measures this through reactions of the infant to caregiver and stranger observed during diff events

How is the strange situation coded?

Reaction to the separation

Looking back to caregiver

Reaction to caregiver

Response to stranger

Comfort at reunion

What are the original attachment styles in the strange situation?

Secure

Ambivalent

Avoidant

Mary Ainsworth findings: Secure attachment

Secure: 50-60% of infants, experiences separation anxiety, comforted at reunion, Will leave caregivers side

Mary Ainsworth findings: Ambivalent

Ambivalent: 9% of infants, initial clinginess, distressed by absence of caregiver but ambivalent on reunion

Mary Ainsworth findings: Avoidant

Avoidant: 15% of infants, avoid caregiver and fail to greet on reunion

Mary Ainsworth findings: Disorganised

Disorganised: 15% of infants, no consistency, keep switching between happy and angry

What was found as a potential reason for these different attachment types?

Ainsworth 1978: The maternal sensitivity hypothesis

According to the maternal sensitivity hypothesis what is consistent responsive caregiving?

Showing warmth

Responding quickly

Reading signals from infant accurately

What does the maternal sensitivity hypothesis say about avoidant attachment?

Mothers are emotionally unavailable and reject infants attempts at closeness.

What does the maternal sensitivity hypothesis say about ambivalent attachment?

Mothers are inconsistent and overwhelmed by parenting.

What does the maternal sensitivity hypothesis say about disorganised attachment?

Mothers are abusive, show frightening and disorienting behaviours.

What did Posada 2016 find?

Using Columbian, Mexican, Peruvian and US mother-child pairs he found that maternal sensitivity if significantly associated with child security across cultures.

What did Bakermans-Kranenberg find in regards to genetics and attachment in Ukrainian pre-school age adoptees?

That the SS/SL serotonin transporter gene increased likelihood of disorganised attachment for institutionalised children.

The LL transporter gene is protective and reduces likelihood of disorganised attachment in institutionalised children to be equal as children raised in families.

Why does attachment matter?

Childhood attachment models adult relationships- Barrett 2000

People with secure attachment will model ……. and will act…….

Affection & trust

Open and honestly

People with avoidant attachment will model ……… and will act ……….

Lack of affection & Rejection

Avoid

People with ambivalent attachment will model …….. and will be ……….

Uncertain

Unable to communicate intent

How do we measure adult attachment?

The adult attachment interview

How does the AAI work?

It focuses on how adults recall their childhood experience

Adult attachment styles: who

George et al 1985

Unresolved attachment

Disorganised

Experience death/loss of early attachment figure and have not healed

Account lacks sense

Preoccupied attachment

Ambivalent

Intense focus on parents

Confused, angry, incoherent

Autonomous attachment

Secure

Recollection is objective

Balanced

Dismissing attachment

Avoidant

Thinks attachment of little concern

Poor recall

Inconsistent

Kearns 2007

Securely attached 9-11 year olds were more likely to report positive mood (mood diary) and regulate emotions with healthy strategies

Early attachment predicts social functioning in early adult

Carlson 2004

A longitudinal study that found early relationships affect adolescent social function through relationships and social behaviour

Attachment through the lifespan

Infant attachment predict adult relationship attachment which predicts how parents interact with their infants.

E.g., secure attachment leads to autonomous attachment which makes a responsive parent and therefore a securely attached child

What had been found about interventions for ending intergenerational transmission? Who?

Phelps 1998: Interventions lead to more positive parenting even when under stress

Example of an intervention

Parental training

How does parental training work

parents reflect on mental representations of how parents and children should interact and change these representations where necessary

Huber 2015

83 mother-child powers ages 1-7

after 20 weeks of therapy parents had more positive representation of children

The number of disorganised attachment children decreased