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CHLD 147: Mary Ainsworth’s Theory Strange Situations; Attachment

LAURA DENISE HARRIS, ED.D.

COLLEGE OF THE SEQUOIAS, VISALIA CAMPUS

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Objectives

Define

Define attachment and describe what factors influence its development.

Explain

Explain how brain development is influenced by attachment.

Detail

Detail why it is important to know about attachment milestones.

Provide

Provide insight regarding circumstances where Ainsworth's patterns might be questionable when it comes to understanding and labeling the degree or kind of attachment. 

Analyze

Analyze methods that adults can utilize to foster attachment in young children.

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What is attachment?

Discuss together with a buddy or in your groups and list three words, phrases or sentences that you feel appropriately describe attachment.

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Attachment

  • The bond that is formed between an infant and an adult; two-way relationship.
  • Complex, ongoing process throughout the course of a child’s development.
  • Closeness and responsiveness to an infant, based on their needs and cues.
  • Continuity of care and importance of responsive relationships are crucial to development of strong attachment

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Attachment Behaviors Activity

Complete your grid as a group.

Write the corresponding number in the chart according to what age you believe that behavior may be observed.

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Importance of Attachments

Attachments and relationships are a natural part of who they are and what they desire

Biologically programmed

Aids in their ability to survive

Nurturance and Comfort

Later development and mental functioning are supported

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Early Childhood Attachments

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Birth to 6 Months

Eye Contact

Trust

Crying

Interactional synchrony

Following gaze

Physical foundation

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7-18 Months

Stranger Anxiety

Dependent behavior

Worry about mother

Separation anxiety

Autonomy

Developing mental function

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Attachment Theory

BOWLBY & AINSWORTH

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John Bowlby

  • Attachment is a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings
  • Infants have an innate need to form an attachment bond with a caregiver
  • Evolved response that increases child’s chance of survival
  • When attachment figures are available and reliable, child develops sense of trust in the world and then relies on caregiver as a secure base from which to �explore the world

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Mary Ainsworth

Worked with John Bowlby at the Tavistock Clinic in England

Researched maternal-infant attachments, originally in Uganda

Created assessment to measure interactions between mothers and children, called “Strange Situation Assessment”

Developed three main styles of attachment

Secure

Ambivalent

Avoidant

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Pre-attachment

    • Birth to 12 weeks
    • Crying, gazing, grasping
    • No attachment

Making Attachment

    • 10 weeks to 8 months
    • Cooing, smiling, babbling
    • Trust begins to develop

Clear Attachment

    • 8 months to 24 months
    • Separation anxiety
    • Clinging/resisting separation
    • Caregiver is a secure base for attachment

Reciprocal Relationship

    • 24 months on
    • Partnership behavior; children understand adult’s coming and going
    • Able to let go and can be more flexible

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Strange Situation

  • Sequence of staged situations (20 minutes) that answer questions about and measure the attachment of a mother and child.
    • Mother and infant enter new environment and baby is free to play
    • Stranger enters and mother leaves
    • Stranger leaves and mother returns

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Pair & Share

Do some research on the attachment style you are assigned and be prepared to share something back with the large group.

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Secure Attachments

  • Attachment figure is available to meet �the needs
  • Attachment figure is a safe base to �explore the environment
  • Attachment figure is sought out in times of distress
  • Securely attached infants are easily soothed when upset (by attachment figure)
  • This attachment type is formed when caregiver is sensitive to their signals, and responds appropriately to their needs

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Insecure Avoidant

  • Do not orientate to their attachment figure while investigating the environment
  • Independent of attachment figure both physically �and emotionally
  • Do not seek contact with attachment figure when �distressed
  • Likely to have a caregiver who is insensitive and �rejecting of their needs
  • Attachment figure may withdraw from helping �during difficult tasks and is often unavailable �during times of emotional distress

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Insecure Ambivalent/Resistant

  • Ambivalent behavioral style toward attachment figure
    • Ambivalence is a state of having simultaneous conflicting reactions, beliefs, or feelings toward some object
  • Clingy and dependent behavior, but rejecting of attachment figure when they engage in an interaction
  • No feelings of security from attachment figure; difficulty moving away from attachment figure to explore novel surroundings
  • Difficult to soothe and not comforted by interaction with the attachment figure
  • Inconsistent level of response to their needs from the primary caregiver

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Group Discussion

What would you share with a new parent about the attachment process? What would you share differently with a parent of a two year old?

Describe the kinds of interactions that build a secure attachment. What obstacles might contribute to attachment concerns?

What happens to development if little or no attachment is made?

Emotional

Social

Mental/cognitive growth

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Brain Research

  • Nature and nurture interact on a continuous basis
  • Early responsive care and warm, stable relationships foster attachment and lead to healthy brain growth.
  • By the age of three, the brains of young children are two and a half times more active than the brains of adults.
  • Very young children participate in their own development by signaling their needs.
  • Strong neural pathways are created by experiences, especially responsive relationships.

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Responsive Care

Normal Development

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Rethinking the Brain

Old Thinking

How a brain develops depends on the genes you are born with.

The experiences you have before age three have a limited impact on later development and learning.

A secure relationship with a primary caregiver creates a favorable context for early development and learning.

Brain development is linear; the brain’s capacity to learn and change grows steadily as an infant progresses toward adulthood.

New Thinking

How a brain develops hinges on a complex interplay between the genes you’re born with and the experiences you have.

Early experiences help to shape the architecture of the brain, which can affect both development and learning.

Early interactions don’t just create a context; they directly affect the way the brain develops.

Brain development is nonlinear; there are prime times for acquiring different kinds of knowledge and skills throughout life.

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Brain Circuitry

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Supporting Brain Growth

Genetics

Environment

Brain Development

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Attachment Issues: Babies

Born with no strong set of attachment behaviors

Not responsive or attractive

Not rewarding or satisfying for adult to interact with this type of baby

Unresponsive babies; too active or too passive

Attachment must be sought out and promoted primarily by the caregiver

Primary caregiver in childcare setting is important

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Attachment Issues: Adults

Unresponsive or failure to meet the needs of the child

Drug or alcohol abuse

Mental health situation (postpartum depression, mental illness, etc.)

Neglectful behaviors

Negative impact on child: failure to thrive, delayed milestones, not gaining weight on time, unsocial, indifferent, aggressive

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Adult Attachment Styles

Secure

Dismissive

Fearful Avoidant

Preoccupied

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Secure Personality

Secure attachments in childhood; secure attachments in adulthood

Strong sense of self and desire close associations with others

Positive view of themselves, partners and relationships

Lives are balanced: secure in independence and close relationships

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Dismissive Personality

  • Avoidant attachments in childhood have dismissive attachment patterns as adults
  • Loners; regard relationships and emotions as being relatively unimportant
  • Cerebral and suppress their feelings
  • Typical response to conflict and stressful situations is to avoid them by distancing themselves
  • Lives are not balanced: inward and isolated, emotionally removed from themselves and others

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Preoccupied Personality

Ambivalent/anxious attachments often grow up to have preoccupied attachment patterns

Self critical and insecure

Seek approval and reassurance from others, yet self doubt is never relived

Deep seated fear of rejection makes them worried and distrusting

Clingy and overly dependent with partner

Not balanced: insecurity leaves them turned against themselves and emotionally desperate in relationships

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Fearful-Avoidant Personality

Disorganized attachments develop fearful avoidant patterns of attachment

Detached from feelings during times of trauma as a child

Desire relationships and are comfortable in them until they become emotionally close

Feelings repressed in childhood begin to resurface and are experienced in the present, unconsciously

Not balanced: no coherent sense of themselves or clear connection with others

Live in past traumatic events

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Principles in Action

  • Read the scenario and answer the following questions:
    • 1. How do you feel about the mother’s behavior?
    • 2. How do you feel about Cameron?
    • 3. Do you agree that the caregiver should talk to the mother? Why or why not?
    • 4. Could the mother’s behavior come from a cultural difference?
    • 5. What else might you do to help Cameron establish trust?

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Children with Special Needs

  • Children with developmental delays or other special needs may have difficulty forming appropriate attachments and need support or special services.
  • Early Intervention is crucial to the success of these children with special needs:
    • Process of identifying children “at risk” for disabilities or with disabilities
    • Before 3 years of age
    • Multidisciplinary approach that involves professionals and parents
    • Specialists from various fields: health, psychology, medicine, early childhood, special education, parents
    • Provides educational experiences and opportunities that are specifically based on the developmental needs of the child