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Attachment Across the Lifespan (BCD404NAA) - Key Terms (Vocabulary)

Course Information

  • Course: BCD404NAA Attachment Across the Lifespan
  • Term: FALL 2025
  • Campus: Newnham Campus - Hybrid Delivery
  • Instructor: Melissa Arnone
  • Email: melissa.arnone@senecapolytechnic.ca
  • Class Time: Tuesdays 8:55am–11:35am
  • Room: D3054

Assessments Overview

  • Overall course assessments total: 100% (sum of all components listed below)
  • Case Study: 30 ext{%} – Individual
  • Annotated Bibliography: 35 ext{%} – Individual
  • Special Interest Project: 35 ext{%} – Group (choose Option 1 or Option 2)

Due Dates

  • Case Study: Octoberackslash 7, extbackslash 2025 ext{ by }11:59 ext{pm EST}
  • Annotated Bibliography: Octoberackslash 28, extbackslash 2025 ext{ by }11:59 ext{pm EST}
  • Special Interest Project: Option 1 or Option 2 due dates as noted below
    • Option 1: Scripted Presentation – November 18, 25 or December 2, 2025 at 8:55am EST (sign up for a date)
    • Option 2: Debate – November 11, 2025 at 9:50am EST

Case Study (30% - Individual)

  • Purpose: Conduct own action research on a child using two data sources:
    • Observation of the child in interactions with others in group settings
    • Interview with a primary caregiver
  • Submission: one Word document submitted via SafeAssign

What to include in the Case Study

  • Title page (APA7 formatting)
  • Introduction: objective summary; brief background with relevant factual information about the child
  • Child Observation
    • Introduction of 2 clusters
    • 2 anecdotal records (full sentences)
    • Analysis of the observation: describe connections between the 2 anecdotal records and the 2 clusters, including connections to course content
  • Interview with a Primary Caregiver
    • Objectively summarize the parent's profile of the child on the 2 main clusters chosen (full sentences)
    • Interview questions and description of relevance
  • Conclusion: objective summary of main points; connections to potential lifespan outcomes for the child and family; 2 recommendations for the family
  • Appendix
  • References: use proper APA format in-text citations and reference list

Child Observation Details

  • Activity option: Select a movie with a main character under 6 years old and a prevalent primary caregiver; obtain professor approval before starting the paper (e.g., Boyhood).
  • Identify 2 clusters from the Attachment Q-sort that appear most frequently and describe them.
  • Provide two anecdotal records illustrating when these clusters are evident. Records must be objective, describing what the child does, says, and how they interact, in two different contexts.
  • Analysis: Use lectures, textbook content, handouts, and other sources to interpret the findings; relate observed behaviors to theoretical literature discussed in class.
  • Anecdotal Record Template:
    • Name:
    • Observer: (your name)
    • Description of observation:
    • Date:
    • Time: (time stamp of movie)
    • Setting:
    • Signature:
  • Interview with a Primary Caregiver
    • Identify which caregiver you would interview and why
    • Include 5–10 questions covering the 7 clusters of the Attachment Q-sort
    • Under each question, describe relevance (which cluster it targets, etc.)
    • Ensure questions are unbiased, concise, and applicable to various contexts (sleep, eating, uncertainty, play)
    • At least 2 questions should explicitly connect to the 2 clusters most frequently demonstrated in the observation
  • Appendix
    • A. Rough notes of first observation (scanned handwritten notes or typed point form)
    • B. Rough notes of second observation

Important Notes for Case Study

  • Learn resources: learn.senecapolytechnic.ca (Child Observation portal)
  • Observations and interview data must be presented in full sentences and in objective terms

Annotated Bibliography (35% - Individual)

  • Topic: Related to attachment; minimum of four publications; scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles only; articles must be primary source research (not reviews of reviews)
  • Paper length: 10-12 ext{ pages}
  • Format: Title page (APA7), introduction, research review, conclusion, references
  • Research Review contents (per article):
    • Brief introduction to the article being reviewed
    • Participants, methodology, limitations
    • Main points and findings
    • Separate paragraph reflecting on how the article is relevant to your topic
  • Organization: Bibliographic citations arranged alphabetically
  • Example bibliographic citation:
    • Burke, L. (2003) The impact of maternal depression on familial relationships. International Review of Psychiatry, 15(3), 243-255. doi:10.1080/0954026005192
  • Research Review (structure):
    • 1 paragraph connecting to course content
  • References: Include in-text citations and a reference list in APA format

Special Interest Project (35% - Group)

You may select Option 1 (Scripted Presentation) or Option 2 (Debate/Critique of Attachment)

Option 1: Scripted Presentation (35% - Group)

  • Groups: 3–4 students
  • Deliverables (30-minute presentation):
    • 10 minutes for a scripted skit
    • 10 minutes to explain connections to your literature review
    • 10 minutes for questions and answers
  • Additional deliverables:
    • 1-page tip sheet summarizing main points (to be emailed to instructor prior to presentation for posting on Blackboard)
    • Group critique of 1 other group’s presentation
    • SafeAssign submission:
    • Title page
    • Tip sheet
    • Skit script with chart of research articles and reference page
    • Optional: any other resources used (PowerPoint, Canva slides, props, etc.)
    • A critique of others’ work
  • Potential Diary Script topics (examples): Attachment and Imaginary Friends; Attachment and Eating Disorders; Attachment and Maternal Depression; Attachment and Family Members (Fathers, Siblings, Grandparents); Attachment and the residential school experience; Attachment and Partner Choice; Attachment and Culture (Compare 2 cultures); Attachment and Bullying; Attachment in Children with specific needs (e.g., blindness, autism, Down syndrome, etc.); Attachment in the Adoption process; Attachment in Substance-involved parents; Attachment and the Premature infant
  • Script requirements:
    • Write a diary script with clear parts for each persona (e.g., depressed mom, autistic child, therapist)
    • Each group member must have lines
    • Underline script portions in colors matching those used in the chart to show how research content maps to the script
    • Include a chart of research articles with at least 6 peer-reviewed articles (2 per student)
  • Example chart template (color-code matching the script):
    • Study Name — include name and highlight in color matching the skit; indicate which student found/summarized the article
    • Authors and Publication Year
    • Critique of Other's Work
    • Main Points (study type, location, participants, findings, etc.)
  • Additional deliverable: Print and complete the chart with all group members’ names

Option 2: Critique of Attachment (35% - Group)

  • A critique presents evaluative ideas or opinions and can form the basis for a discussion on a topic
  • Format: Debate style; group of 2–4 students; take 2 opposing sides on a single topic
  • Written submission (SafeAssign) must include:
    • Title page
    • Summary of the research studies used to inform the debate
    • Summary of the two sides’ main points
    • Chart summarizing each person’s individual contributions and roles in the debate
    • Reference page
  • Research Summary (shared):
    • Summarize all articles/studies used to inform the debate; each person should contribute at least 2 peer-reviewed articles
    • At least 1 article should be critical of Attachment Theory in a major area (e.g., focus on dyadic relationships vs. clan/community context in Indigenous settings)
  • Debate Template:
    • Topic:
    • Debate team 1 stance:
    • Debate team 2 stance:
    • Individuals on debate team 1 and 2
    • Team 1 Key Points: Introduction; Debate sub-topic 1 (clear thesis); sub-topic 2; sub-topic 3; Connections to course content; Conclusion
    • Team 2 Key Points: (same structure)
    • Individual Roles: identify how many articles per person and which roles they played in the written report
  • Submission: include a chart of article contributions and a plan for speaking roles

Diary Script: Scripted Presentation Details

  • Script requirements:
    • Write a diary script; decide on a persona for the diary
    • The diary should integrate important aspects from the literature review
    • Provide a script with labeled parts for each person; every group member should have lines
    • Underline script portions with colors corresponding to the chart colors used in the research article chart
  • Chart of Research Articles (required):
    • Provide a chart with article information and main points
    • Color-code the chart to match the diary/script
    • Include at least 6 peer-reviewed articles (2 per student)
  • Example template in the project materials covers:
    • Study Name, Authors/Year, Main Points, Critique of Other's Work, Methodology, Participants, Findings, etc.

Important Notes: General Guidelines for All Submissions

  • All written work should be submitted via SafeAssign where indicated
  • Use APA7 formatting for title pages, headers, and references in all assignments
  • Ensure objective and non-judgmental language in observations and caregiver interviews
  • Maintain careful documentation of sources and ensure proper in-text citations

Assignment 3: Special Interest Project Options Summary

  • Option 1: Scripted Presentation (as detailed above)
  • Option 2: Debate/Critique (as detailed above)
  • All options require a chart of research articles with a clear mapping to the script or debate points, and a reference page
  • Deliverables for both options include: title page, chart of articles, reference page, and a reflection/analysis component that ties back to course content

Presentation and Collaboration Details

  • Presentations days are mandatory; absence on presentation day results in a 0% for the presentation grade unless an extension is approved
  • A group critique of another group’s presentation is required in Option 1
  • For Option 1, the tip sheet must be emailed to the instructor prior to the presentation date and posted on Blackboard by the instructor
  • For Option 2, the debate requires a clear division of roles and a plan for who presents which points, including rebuttals and cross-examinations

Due Dates, Extensions, and Late Policy

  • Policy highlights:
    • Due dates and evaluation procedures are listed in the course schedule
    • Extensions must be requested via email to the professor at least 1 week before the due date
    • Late submissions deductions:
    • 10% deduction on the first day late
    • 20% deduction on day 8
    • 3 weeks late → 0% (no further submission opportunity unless approved)
    • If an assignment grade becomes an F due to late submission, the F is used to calculate the final subject grade but does not prevent passing
    • Last day to submit a late assignment is the last official day of class (before class begins)
    • No assignments accepted after the final day unless an extension has been approved
    • Assignments submitted after the final class date will receive 0 marks unless an extension was approved
  • Additional note: The information above is subject to instructor approval and university policy; always verify extension requests via email

Quick Reference: Key Dates and Elements

  • Case Study: Due: ext{ Oct }7, ext{ 2025} ext{ by }11:59 ext{pm EST}
  • Annotated Bibliography: Due: ext{ Oct }28, ext{ 2025} ext{ by }11:59 ext{pm EST}
  • Special Interest Project: option-dependent dates (see above)
  • Presentation days: mandatory; attendance affects grade
  • Page references and templates: adapted from course materials and online resources (learn.senecapolytechnic.ca)

Connections to Course Content and Real-World Relevance

  • The Case Study emphasizes action research: integrating observation with caregiver interview mirrors real-world assessment practices in child development and attachment research
  • Annotated Bibliography reinforces evidence-based practice: summarizing and critiquing peer-reviewed literature informs informed clinical or educational decisions
  • Special Interest Project encourages translating research into practice: scripts, diaries, and debates demonstrate practical applications of attachment theory in diverse contexts
  • Ethical considerations: unbiased interviewing, confidentiality of caregiver information, and literature critique with balanced perspectives

Equations and Numerical References Used

  • Assignment weightings: ext{Case Study} = 0.30, ext{Annotated Bibliography} = 0.35, ext{Special Interest Project} = 0.35
  • Time and date formatting in this document use standard conventions; expressed here for clarity as needed in your submissions:
    • Class Time: 8:55 ext{am} - 11:35 ext{am}
    • Time stamps and due dates as shown in the sections above with EST

Final Notes

  • Ensure alignment between the observation records, the Attachments Q-sort clusters, and the theoretical content discussed in class
  • Maintain clear, objective, and well-supported connections to course material throughout all deliverables
  • Keep copies of all submitted materials and notes for reference