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Bowlby attachment theory strengths and weaknesses
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Bowlby attachment theory strengths and weaknesses
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In conclusion to transitions, many people would believe and follow Bowlby's attachment theory as I believe that if children do not have strong positive relationships with their primary care giver from birth, then they will be unable to form relationships smoothly in the future. However, an alternative view to this is Bronfen Brenner's model that states that it is not just about the support and relationships a child or young person has from their family, it is a balance of nature and nurture and believed that the child is surrounded by four concentric circles which each represent a different factor that influences and the child. The first circles work from the inside out, the first is the 'Microsystem' which represents the child's immediate family and surroundings which would be the main support and relationships. …show more content…
Next is the 'Exosystem' circle, this represents the people who indirectly influence the child including, parent's workplace and other services supporting the family. Lastly, the 'Macrosystem' circle includes the values and attitudes of the cultural group the child belongs to. Bronfen Brenner's model agrees with Bowlby where they both state that the main support for a child is their immediate family. However, Brenner goes on to explain the influences that Nature has on a child and how they can be supported by other factors throughout transitions and therefore agrees that it is not only the influence of the parent or carer of a child but it is the influence of other individuals, services and surroundings that help support the child and their emotional needs when going through a
Most people find that there is no one that knows you better than you know yourself. We know our hopes, wishes and dreams better than anyone else, even our own parents, and we know what we are willing to do to get them. I chose to write about myself for this very reason. I believe that I know myself well enough to be able to analyze myself and understand why I am the way that I am.
I feel Bowlby’s theory of attachment is really important in relation to supporting children through transitions. I think this because during the time I have spent in placements I have seen children bound more with a certain practitioner this is more than often their key person. Bowlby believed that ‘early attachments was very important’ (Meggitt.C et al, 2011, p80) the first ever attachment will be made within the first few months of being born. This will normally be with a parent or guardian e.g. mother, grandad. When this attachment is formed the child knows that its basic need such as shelter, food, warmth etc. Bowlby felt that if the child and attachment is separated for a short while within the first few years of its life then it could produce long term and irreversible negative effects on the child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. If this is the case placing children in a day care setting would be damaging for the children. This is why it is good to have a key person so that when they are away from their first attachment they have another attachment to a practitioner in a setting.
The influence of Bowlby’s attachment theory is relevant when dealing with transitions because it has informed people and practitioners about the importance of attachment and the key worker system. Bowlby’s attachment theory evolved to ensure children are protected and for their survival to be increased. Bowlby believed that a child’s first attachment is built quite early on and is normally formed with the mother. This relationship between the mother and the baby is the template for relationships in the future. It provides the child with an internal working model. If the child’s first attachment doesn’t have a positive effect then this can result in the child finding it difficult to form other attachments with practitioners, family members and friends. If the first attachment is secure and strong the child will be able to build relationships with other people without having a problem. According to Bowlby the cognitive development of the child is affected when early attachment is formed because it provides a secure base for exploration. Although Bowlby’s theory has a lot of positive aspects other theorists have research that disagrees with his work. Schaffer & Emerson
Attachment is an important aspect through the developmental stages of a child. It is the process through which an individual develops specific bonds with others (). John Bowlby theorized Attachment Theory, which focuses on a behavioral system that demonstrates the response of an adult when a child signals which can lead to a strong trusting relationship (). Through attachment infants develop strong emotional bonds with others, which can result in a more positive outcome later in life.
Criticisms of attachment theory have come mainly from the feminist schools of thought since the theory has been used to argue that no woman with a young child should work outside the home or spend time away from her baby (Goodsell and Meldrum, 2010). Children’s experience and development also depend on what happens after early years, whether bad or good later in life may change a child’s emotional development, e.g. lack of basic needs, diet, education, stimulation such as play might affect a child’s development (Rutter, 1981) Difference in cultures have to be taken into consideration as well. A study by Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) provided contradictory evidence from Bowlby’s attachment theory. They noted attachment was more prominent at eight months, and afterwards children became attached to more than one person. By one year six months only 13%of infants had one attachment. This study by Schafer and Emmerson (1964) concluded care giver can be male or female and mothering can be a shared responsibility. Social workers should therefore understand that parents are not totally responsible for the way the children develop. They did give them their genes and therefore do have some influence. Attachment theory also fails to consider the fact that the father and siblings, and other close relatives can also
...as an individual, still finding a sense of closeness with their caregiver. The perceptions that are formed as an infant are progressively construed to structure who we are, what we do, and why we do the things we do. These long-term effects appear to grow and are constructive as internal working models which shape our behavior, self perception, sense of self, and our expectations of other people.
The attachment theory, presented by Mary Ainsworth in 1969 and emerged by John Bowlby suggests that the human infant has a need for a relationship with an adult caregiver, and without a subsequent, development can be negatively impacted (Hammonds 2012). Ainsworth proposes that the type of relationship and “attachment” an infant has with the caregiver, can impact the social development of the infant. As stated by Hammonds (2012), attachment between a mother and a child can have a great impact on the child 's future mental
Some theorist agreed with Bowlby 's attachment theory and some did not. "In addition, attachment theory underemphasises the degree to which humans can self repair. Schnarch (1999) argues that while the drive for connection is powerful in humans, it is not as strong as the need for emotional self regulation and self preservation. Attachment theorists have ignored our capacity to stabilise ourselves and our strivings for autonomy, instead focusing on interaction and believing that all soothing must be internalised from others. He cites research suggesting that parents and infants are constantly moving in and out of “synch” with each other in terms of soothing. Babies soothe themselves when mismatches occur, and even break contact when they are overstimulated by a good connection. So we may in fact self regulate at the expense of connection. Attachment is not the dominant and overriding drive but only one among several including self control and self direction." The Limitations of Attachment Theory for Adult Psychotherapy, JONATHAN NORTON ⋅ JUNE 3,
The environmental influences must be considered in order to understand the behavioral of a child. Urie Bronfenbrenner was a famous Russian American psychologist who formulated the Ecological Model Systems in 1979. He believed that as a child grow and mature, the way he/she interact with the environment become more complex. The Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model Systems defines how external environments and individuals affect the development of a child. It is made up of four systems that greatly influence the development of a child. The four systems are microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old and I grew up in a broken family. My microsystem includes immediate relationship I interact with,
ed before the age of 12 than those abused after the age of 12 (Bak-Klimek et al. ,2013) Additionally (O'leary 2010, Bhandari et al 2011, Wager, 2011) identified the closer the adult survivor was to the abuser ( e.g biologically related) reveled an indication to the onset of mental health. John Bowlby’s theory of attachment (1951) critically established that poor parental-child attachment and failure to form an attachment throughout their lives, portrayed with traumas such as CSA, intensively increased the vulnerability to a range of psychological and social development (Cited by Chandler and Jarvis, 2001) Researchers had revealed that children that were abused by their parents in particular, lead to damage. Sexual abuse by a parent results
My opinion on John Bowlby’s theory after doing some research into other theorists such as Bronfenbrenner is that his theory is one sides as he bases it on attachment for just the parent in relation to an attachment meanwhile Bronfenbrenner looks into the attachment process more as a whole and then disagreed with Bowlby’s theory of a child only having one attachment which is the parent of the child. I think that Bowlby’s theory is good although I don’t think that it works with all children as children have different upbringings and form relationships in different ways. John Bowlby claims that attachments that a child has with a mother is different to any relationship the child would have from anyone for example; key workers, friends and other relatives. Schaffer and Emerson argues that children can have a primary attachment to anyone however Bowlby argues back that infants have a
John Bowlby was the first attachment theorist, he describes attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p.194), he believed that the earliest bonds that were formed between child and caregiver has a huge impact that continues throughout the infants life. Attachment is said to help keep the infant close to their mother, so it improves the child’s chance of survival.
(McLeod 2007) To understand the lessons that are learned in these early relationships, Bowlby developed the concept of ‘internal working models'. An internal working model is a set of expectations and beliefs about the self, others and the relationship between the self and others. Thus, the internal working model of an individual will contain particular expectations and beliefs about their own and other people's behaviour. (Howe 2011). According to Bowlby (1969), “the primary caregiver acts as an example for future relationships through the internal working model for the child”. (McLeod 2007). There are three main features of the internal working model: a model of others as being trustworthy, a model of the self as valuable, and a model of the self as active when interacting with others. (McLeod 2007). It is this mental representation that guides future social and emotional behaviour as the child’s internal working model guides their responsiveness to others in general. (McLeod 2007). The parent’s childhood experiences relate to the type of attachment the child will experience. It is central to attachment theory. Bowlby explained that through early experiences of attachment, children develop a sense of self and a sense of
Bowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that “his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development” Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachment will help a child develop in all areas e.g. emotionally, physical and mentally. However if they did not form an attachment in the sensitive period, the child may have issues or problems in their cognitive, emotional and social development. “Attachment is as essential for the child’s psychological well-being as food is for physical health claimed Bowlby” Wood, B (2001, p.54). Bowlby claimed in this statement that attachment is a necessary thing which a child needs in order to develop healthily.
What Bowlby observed that even feeding did not diminish the anxiety experienced by children when they were separated from their primary caregivers. Bowlby was the first to establish this. His work pave the way that childhood development depended heavily upon a child 's ability to form a strong relationship with at least one primary caregiver There are four main phases of attachment development according to Bowlby