Importance of attachment in healthy child development

Question 1

What is meant by attachment in a relationship?

Answer 1

Long-lasting/enduring emotional relationship which develops between 2 people

Question 2

Who should a child develop attachment to?

Answer 2

Primary carer (someone close to the child)

Eg. mother, father

Question 3

At what age does child attachment to their carer start to obviously present?

Answer 3

7 months old

Question 4

Who proposed the sensitive period theory of child attachment?

Answer 4

John Bowlby (Father of attachment theory 1980)

Question 5

In the sensitive period theory of child attachment, which childhood age range does this period occur in?

Answer 5

Sensitive period occurs from 7 months to 3 years old

Question 6

In the sensitive period theory of attachment, can secure child attachment be developed after the sensitive period and why?

Answer 6

No, as it too late to undo damage to child that was done if attachment to primary carer hasn’t developed normally

Question 7

Which theory challenges the sensitive period theory of child attachment?

Answer 7

Critical window of opportunity theory

Question 8

In the critical window of opportunity theory of child attachment, when is the critical window in a child’s life?

Answer 8

First 3 years of life

Question 9

In the critical window of opportunity theory of child attachment, after the window is closed can any damage to the child be undone?

Answer 9

Yes, damage can be undone after this window if a secure attachment develops

Eg. adopted children develop attachment later in life

Question 10

What 3 factors does attachment provide to allow a child to develop and learn, and who proposed this?

Answer 10

Comfort
Security
Safe base

John Bowlby 1980

Question 11

How does comfort, security and a safe base in the carer allow a child to develop cognitive, emotional, social learning?

Answer 11

Encourages child to explore how world works and how to interact with environment

Question 12

What is meant by pro-social behaviour of infants, and are they born with pro-social behaviour?

Answer 12

Pro-social behaviour: voluntary acts to benefit others which develops because infant starts to see other people’s thoughts, feelings and experiences as important

Infants are born with pro-social behaviour

Question 13

Does the primary carer alone contribute to forming attachment between them and their child?

Answer 13

No, attachment develops due to contribution from both carer and child

Question 14

Is pro-social behaviour of infants random or adaptive?

Answer 14

They are adaptive because they allow social interaction with their environment

Question 15

Why is crying a pro-social behaviour of infants, and how does it enable social interaction?

Answer 15

Crying signals that infant has a need and wants carer’s attention, which prompts carer to hug, feed, interact with infant

Question 16

Why is smiling a pro-social behaviour of infants, and how does it enable social interaction?

Answer 16

Smiling originates as a reflex in 2 month-old infant but soon becomes intentional as infant learns that smiling encourages positive response from carer

Question 17

Why is looking a pro-social behaviour of infants, and how does it enable social interaction?

Answer 17

Looking at carer encourages positive response from the carer

Question 18

Why is hugging a pro-social behaviour of infants, and how does it enable social interaction?

Answer 18

Hugging is a human reflex that allows physical contact

Question 19

Why is preference for their caregiver a pro-social behaviour of infants, and how does it enable social interaction?

Answer 19

Preference for primary carer’s face, voice, smell, touch from the first days of life

Question 20

What are the 4 steps in the cycle of secure attachment development between a child and carer?

Answer 20

Infant is totally dependent on primary carer’s interaction and attention

Primary carer leaves, which infant notices very quickly so experiences separation anxiety and shows attachment behaviour of crying

Primary carer returns so that they are in infant’s proximity again

Infant’s attachment behaviour drops as they have returned to comfort, security and having a safe base

Question 21

In the cycle of secure attachment development between a child and carer, what does the carer do when the child displays separation anxiety and attachment behaviour?

Answer 21

Carer quickly returns after hearing infant crying/calling out and re-establishes proximity

Question 22

In the cycle of secure attachment development between a child and carer, what happens after the carer re-establishes proximity to the child?

Answer 22

Child’s attachment behaviour drops as they are returned to comfort, security and safe base

Question 23

How often does the attachment cycle occur in a child’s life in order to develop secure attachment to their carer?

Answer 23

Cycle repeats many times daily and in months where infant is completely dependent on primary carer

Question 24

How does repetition of the attachment cycle lead to secure attachment of a child to their carer?

Answer 24

Causes child to learn and take for granted interactions such as responsiveness, warmth, sensitivity, availability of carer and their unconditional love

Ultimately leading to secure attachment

Question 25

When a child who had secure attachment to their carer ages, will they have high or low self-esteem?

Answer 25

High self-esteem as they have positive view of themself

Question 26

When a child who had secure attachment to their carer ages, will they have good relationships with peers?

Answer 26

Yes, as they are able to trust and have confidence in others

Have appreciation of a support system

Question 27

When a child who had secure attachment to their carer ages, will they engage well with learning and social interactions?

Answer 27

Yes, as they have sense of security so are willing to explore and be resilient

Question 28

When a child who had secure attachment to their carer ages, will they be attention-seeking?

Answer 28

They will be less attention-seeking as they have sense of security

Question 29

When a child who had secure attachment to their carer ages, will they develop secure attachment to their own children?

Answer 29

Yes

Question 30

When a child who had avoidant/ambivalent attachment to their carer ages, do they communicate their needs to carers?

Answer 30

Child becomes compliant and doesn’t communicate their needs with carer because they have fear of rejection

Question 31

When a child who had avoidant/ambivalent attachment to their carer ages, how can they show attention-seeking?

Answer 31

Aggressive behaviours

Question 32

Comparing secure and insecure attachment, does the child view their carer as available?

Answer 32

Secure: Yes, can communicate needs well as they have comfort, security, safe base

Insecure: No, Learnt that caregiver is unavailable and can’t meet their needs

Question 33

Comparing secure and insecure attachment, does the child view themself as worthy of love?

Answer 33

Secure: Yes

Insecure: No, child views themself as unworthy of love from others

Question 34

Comparing secure and insecure attachment, does the child view others as emotionally available?

Answer 34

Secure: Yes, have sense of security so can build trust and confidence in others

Insecure: No, views others as emotionally unavailable or that they cause the child confusion/harm/pain

Question 35

In the cycle of avoidant/ambivalent attachment development between a child and carer, how does the carer respond to child’s attachment behaviour?

Answer 35

Avoidant: unavailable/rejects infant’s needs by being indifferent and insensitive

Ambivalent: Inconsistent in re-establishing proximity and care

Question 36

In the cycle of avoidant/ambivalent attachment development between a child and carer, does the child return to comfort, security and safe base, and what is the result?

Answer 36

No, so they have prolonged periods of distress and unregulated emotions

Question 37

In the cycle of disorganised attachment development between a child and carer, how does the carer respond to the child’s attachment behaviour?

Answer 37

Abusive/neglectful carer who is unavailable and doesn’t meet child’s needs

Question 38

In the cycle of disorganised attachment development between a child and carer, does the child return to comfort, security and safe base, and what is the result?

Answer 38

No, they don’t have that

Instead carer becomes source of fear and distress for child

Question 39

In the cycle of avoidant/ambivalent attachment development between a child and carer, give 3 examples of the child’s feelings when the carer has become the source of their distress and fear?

Answer 39

Develops trauma

Permanent feelings of lack of control

Helplessness and confusion

Question 40

Why does disorganised attachment cause children to develop clinical problems?

Answer 40

Collapse in cognitive and behavioural strategies to cope with their own emotions

Clinical problems due to lack of emotional development

Question 41

What is the correlation between the greatness of a child’s trauma and their coping strategies?

Answer 41

Children who have experienced the greatest traumas are those least emotionally equipped to deal with them

Question 42

Why is child attachment relevant in pre/post-natal checkups?

Answer 42

Recognition of risk factors that could influence the quality of early attachment

Question 43

Give 4 examples of risk factors for abnormal child attachment, which can be recognised in pre/post-natal checkups?

Answer 43

pre/post-partum depression in mothers

poor maternal mental health

social and financial difficulties

isolated/unsupported mothers

Question 44

Why is child attachment relevant in delayed development and when the child isn’t reaching normal development milestones?

Answer 44

could be because of lack of interaction and stimulation in home environment as there is not comfort, security or safe base to learn from

Question 45

Why is child attachment relevant when a child is struggling at school?

Answer 45

Child has behavioural or emotional difficulties, which are usually more prominent during transition periods

This could have arisen from insecure attachment

Question 46

If a child has insecure attachment, give 3 examples of what could this indicate about the primary carer in terms of their mental health and struggles?

Answer 46

Has serious mental health problems

Carer struggles in their role

Carer is neglectful or abusive

Question 47

Give 3 examples of child clinical populations in which attachment to carer is relevant?

Answer 47

Children with mood disorders

Children with clinical anxiety or depression

Children with attachment disorders

Question 48

Define attachment disorder?

Answer 48

Conditions in which babies and young children are unable to form any kind of emotional bonding with their primary caregiver