Attachment

Poor quality of child care, not its quantity or timing, is the detrimental influence.

3rd variables eg poverty etc were not controlled.

Inadequacy of the S.S. as a measure of attachment for infants used to repeated separations.

However, Lamb, Sternberg & Prodromidis (1992) found that extent of non-maternal daycare was not significantly associated with attachment classification.

attachment theory would predict that repeated separations from the mother would undermine the development of secure attachment.

NON –MATERNAL DAYCARE
mothers’ relience on non-maternal day increased as they frequently return to work during infants’ 1st year
( Belsky,2001).

Quality of attachment in infancy predicts:
sociability in early, middle and late adulthood( Van Lange et al, 1997).

predicted sexual dysfunction in adult males ( Kinzl et al, 1996).

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTACHMENT FOR LATER PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

"the bedrock on which stable and self-reliant personality is built ”
(Bowlby,1973)

Child develops INTERNAL WORKING MODELS OF SELF AND OTHERS that shape and explain our experience.
Bowlby (1973)

Third Party Influences on Quality of Attachment

Strengths of Strange Situation test

Criticisms of strange situation test

Strange situation test most common technique for measuring the quality of attachments.
(Mary Ainsworth 1978)

Quality of attachment is assessed through observing overt behaviour eg: proximity, eye contact, clinging + crying.

Determinants for each subtype of attachment

Main + Solomon identified a 4th quality of attachment for infants who defied Ainsworths 3 qualities.

Ainsworth identified 3 different qualities of attachment

Affectional bond: long + enduring.
Partner is not interchangable - desires to remain close to partner.
(Ainsworth, 1989)

Numerous studies confirm the importance of emotional availability on the part of the caregiver
( Biringen, 2000).

DETERMINANTS OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN ATTACHMENT QUALITIES

“ --the security of infant-mother attachment is a multi-determined developmental outcome” ( Thompson, 2010).

Attachment: the first social relationship an infant forms based on the sense of security, comfort/safe base.
(Bee & Boyd, 2007)