Attachment styles

Attachment styles

1. Secure

   • is cared for by someone who is nurturing, warm, sensitive, & responds positively to the child
     • child learns they can show emotions & needs w/o fear of rejection
       • learns to regulate distressing emotion
   • less likely to engage in risky behaviors
   • less mental health problems
   • become adults w/ higher self esteem, higher impulse control, good stress management, reliable & popular

2. Insecure avoidant

   • caregiver has repsonded negatively to child by hostility, rejection or excessive control
     • this type of caregiver not sensitive or accepting
       • to over come caregiver must be nuturing in trusting environment
   • chidl learns rejection & unworthy of care
     • they shut down their emotions
       • later in life: lower self esteem w/ emotional barriers
     • anxious of displaying emtions due to fear

3. Insecure Ambivalent

   • caregiver is not consistently nurturing or sensitive to child
     • child struggles for attention from caregiver
       • becomes angry due to lack of attention
         • engage in behaviors aimed at gaining attention of caregiver

4. Disorganized

   • when caregiver is unpredictable
     • by responding negative or positive in various situations
       • child is uncertain about how to respond & cannot regulate their feelings and emotions
         • might display hostility or aggression or act as their caregivers did to them
         • 80% of cases are due to maltreatment but not all