Attachment Theory Essay

The first three years of a child’s life are a period of tremendous growth and by the time a child is three years old ninety percent of their brain has developed (reference). In 1951 John Bowlby was commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to write a report on the mental health of homeless children after World War Two (reference). Bowlby’s main conclusion was that “infants need to experience a warm, intimate, continuous relationship with one major caregiver and that this need was crucial to the infants survival and healthy development” (Bowlby, 1951). Although more recent studies recognize that Bowlby’s work was very clinical with several limitations it has become known as attachment theory, and Mary Ainsworth expanded Bowlby’s theory and conducted the first empirical validation study on attachment theory (reference). According to research conducted by Ainsworth (reference) a child is considered to be securely attached when as they move through their normal developmental stages, while using their caregiver as a secure base, they feel safe with a sense of confidence and competency to explore their environment (reference). Research also suggests that a securely attached child is able to self-calm and manage their emotions which can lead to being more likely to have trusting, lasting relationships, seek out social support and tenancy to have a high self-esteem as an adult (reference). Therefore how an infant receives care within the first twelve months plays a vital part in the development of secure attachment and self-regulation. 244

Attachment is the relationship between a caregiver and an infant. It involves the interaction of comfort, care and pleasure which are very important for the social and emotional dev...

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...ge, quality of care given such as a caregiver that attends to an infant’s needs sensitively and consistently compared to a caregiver that engages in less physical contact with the infant and is resentful towards the infant. Infant characteristics and family context, including working model are the other two factors that influence attachment in infants (Berk, 2014). A longitudinal study conducted over a thirty year period by Scourfe (2005), found that secure infants A logitudinal study conducted over a thirty year period by Scoufe found children whom were securely attached infants were happier and more socially skilled, competent, compliant, and empathetic than children who were insecurely attached as infants (Scourfe, 2005). As adolescence they had higher self-esteem, self-confidence and emotional health then those that came from developed insecure attachments.