Attachment Theory PDF

§ Animal studies suggest that the most rapid rate of development is within the early postnatal period Payne et al., 2010 § A close emotional relationship between 2 persons, characterized by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity. It is enduring across space and time. § Experimental work...

§ Animal studies suggest that the most rapid rate of development is within the early postnatal period Payne et al., 2010 § A close emotional relationship between 2 persons, characterized by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity. It is enduring across space and time. § Experimental work with monkeys who were deprived of all early social interactions strongly supported the view that healthy social and emotional development is rooted in children’s early social interactions with adults § Proposed attachment theory, posits that children are predisposed to develop attachments with caregivers as a means of increasing the chances of their own survival § Evolutionary theory § born with tendencies that promote survival of the species § attachment behaviors are adaptive because they help protect infant § Secure base is Bowlby’s term for an attachment figure’s presence that provides an infant or toddler with a sense of security that makes it possible for the infant to explore the environment 1. Asocial Phase (0-6 wks): no particular preference for social stimuli 2. Indiscriminate Attachments (6 wks - 6 mos): enjoy all people 3. Specific Attachment (7-9 mos): only want one person; wary of strangers. 4. Multiple attachments (soon after specific attachment phase): attach to multiple familiar people, e.g., father, grandparents, siblings Emerges around 6-7 months and intensifies over next several months § Emerges around 6-7 months and intensifies over next several months § Emerges around 8 months § A series of separation and reunion episodes to which infants are exposed in order to determine the quality of their attachments 1. E introduces dyad to room & leaves 2. Parent sits while baby plays [P as secure base] 3. Stranger enters, sits, & talks to P [Stranger Anxiety] 4. P leaves, S offers comfort if baby is upset [Separation Anxiety] 5. P returns, greets baby, comforts if needed. S leaves [Reunion] 6. P leaves [Separation Anxiety] 7. S enters & comforts if needed [Stranger Anxiety] 8. P returns, greets baby, comforts if needed, tries to interest baby in toys [Reunion] § Secure: bond where child welcomes contact with CG & uses CG as secure base from which to explore the world (65% of North American children) § 65% Explores (environment & S) while CG is present. When CG is absent, becomes highly upset. Warmly greets CG upon reunion & is soothed by CG. § Insecure: § Anxious-Resistant: characterized by separation protest & tendency for child to remain near CG (not explore) yet resist contact from CG (10% of North American children) § Resist contact especially upon reunion, not soothed by CG § Anxious-Avoidant: characterized by little protest & child largely ignores CG (20% of North American children) § Can be sociable with other adults § Disorganized: characterized by confused approach to CG (5-10%of North American children [new category]) § Approach CG then abruptly avoid CG § Highly represented in abused populations § Caregiver sensitivity § Anxious/Resistant: § These caregivers are typically seen as unpredictable in their caregiving. The displays of anger or helplessness towards the caregiver on reunion can be regarded as a conditional strategy for maintaining the availability of the caregiver by preemptively taking control of the interaction. § Anxious/Avoidant: § The caregiver demonstrates a history of rebuffing attachment behavior. The child's needs are frequently not met, and the child comes to believe that communication of needs has no influence on the caregiver. § Disorganized: § The homes of these infants often had physical or sexual abuse histories, psychologically disturbed parents, and/or parents with substance abuse. § Many investigators now believe that children’s early relationships with parents (caregivers) influence the nature of their interactions with others from infancy into adulthood, as well as their feelings about their own worth. § Most attachment classifications remain stable & can affect a variety of life outcomes (e.g., romantic relationships) § Why? What is the mechanism? § Early attachments result in internal working models: cognitive representations of self and others, and relationships that infants construct from their interactions with CG § Secure: their needs will be known and met, so they are free to express feelings and safely explore the environment § Insecure (Anxious-Resistant): their needs may or not be met, so they will use behavioral strategies (eg. anger, clinging, passivity) to attempt to control the interaction § Insecure (Anxious-Avoidant): their needs are not often met so they will shut down their needs and try to become independent Memory biases for events as a function of internal working models § Children who were securely attached as infants seem to have closer, more harmonious relationships with peers than do insecurely attached children § Secure attachment in infancy also predicts positive peer and romantic relationships and emotional health in adolescence § Securely attached children also earn higher grades and are more involved in school than insecurely attached children § It is unclear, however, whether security of attachment in infancy has a direct effect on later development, or whether early security of attachment predicts children’s functioning because “good” caregivers remain “good” caregivers § It is unclear, however, whether security of attachment in infancy has a direct effect on later development, or whether early security of attachment predicts children’s functioning because “good” caregivers remain “good” caregivers § It is likely that children’s development can be better predicted from the combination of both their early attachment status and the quality of subsequent parenting than from either factor alone Precocial Altricial “Hospitalism” (Rene Spitz, 1945) Wasting disease characterized by retarded physical development, and disruption of perceptual-motor skills and language due to lack of social contact Isolation: Abnormal behavior Death § Environmental manipulations (handling, maternal separation, high and low quality of care) can alter development of stress-regulatory processes (in rats) (Feneglio et al., 2006; Avishai-Eliner et al., 2001; Plotsky et al., 2005; Moriceau & Sullivan, 2004; Caldji et al., 2000; Champagne et al., 2008; Plotsky et al., 2005) Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis *Presence of caregiver moderates the effects of stress hormones § Behavior (Caldji et al., 1998; Nelson et al., 2002; Rosenblum; 2001) §Emotional reactivity § Stress reactivity § Increased fearful behavior § Increased sensitivity to negative information (Dalgleish et al., 2001) § Increased anxious behavior (Vyas & Chattarji, 2004) §Odd social behavior § Humans: § Intimate relationships (O’Connor et al., 2003) § Peer friendships (Hodges & Tizard, 1989) § Quarrelsome § Less often liked § Less likely to have a special friend § These effects persist into adulthood (Plotsky et al, 2001) Measure Event Age Previously Institutionalized (PI) Youth § PI: internationally adopted children (institutional care) & now living with families § placed in orphanage within 1st year § Majority (80%) adopted within 1st 2 years § Mean time in orphanage = 15.3 months (SD = 10.6) § Comparison group (sex, age group matched) History of Maternal Deprivation associated with Heightened Stress Reactivity PI Comparison Early adversity associated with greater anxiety/more internalizing problems CBCL Casey*, Glatt*, Tottenham* et al., 2009 Early adversity associated with larger amygdala volumes ** Tottenham, Hare, Quinn et al., 2009 F(1,33) = 8.37, p