Parenting and Attachment

Parenting and Attachment

1. Attachment theory

   • Ainsworth
     • Strange situation
       • Type B: secure
         • carer is secure base; wary of strangers; upset at separation; comforted on reunion
         • IWM: worthy of affection; confident of carer's availability
       • Type C: insecure-resistant
         • carer not used as secure base; rejects strangers; distressed by separation; seeks comfort on reunion then rejects it.
         • IWM: unworthy of affection; feels carer won't ease upset
       • Type A: insecure-avoidant
         • mother NOT used as secure base; no distress at separation; avoids interaction on reunion
         • IWM: self not worthy of affection; expects a difficult relationship with main carer
       • Main & Solomon
         • Type D: disorganised
           • contradictory behaviour patterns; apprehensive; confused
   • Bowlby
     • Internal working model
       • Self
       • Other
       • Relationship between them
     • influenced by the Robertsons
       • separation anxiety
   • Harlow
     • Macaque monkeys
       • contact comfort
   • Lorenz
     • Imprinting in geese
   • Winnicott
     • transitional objects
     • Good enough mother
   • Influences on
     • Mother's behaviour
       • Vondra et al
         • Mother's parenting style+ child's attachment type
     • Experiences of emotion
       • Goldberg et al
     • Parent's relationships
       • Stable parent/child relationship = stability in attachment
     • Mind-mindedness

2. Baumrind's model of parenting styles

   • authoritarian
   • permissive
   • non-conformist
   • authoritative
     • Reseach suggests that this style has the most +ve outcomes
   • No explanation given for why parents develop different styles
   • stimulted research
     • Russell et al
       • different approach used for boys & girls
     • McKinnon-Lewis et al.
       • transactional model
   • culture-specific

3. What is a parent?

   • Biological
   • Nurturer
     • Infant
     • Child
     • Adolescent
     • Adult
   • Mother and Father
   • Culturally and socially defined

4. Parent-child relationships & later child development

   • Main & Goldwyn
     • AAI
       • Dismissing (AA) = Type A (SST)
       • Autonomous (AA) = Type B (SST)
       • Preoccupied (AA) = Type C (SST)
       • Zimmerman
         • SST @ 12-18 mths not good predictor AA @ 16
           • Life events important
       • Fonagy & Nagel
         • AAI narratives in pregnancy predicted infants' SST
   • Adolescence
     • Attachment moves from parents to peers
     • Authoritative parenting may help the transition

5. Diversity in Family Patterns and Relationships

   • Most research is Western-centric
   • Socioeconomic and sociocultural factors are critical variables
   • little research comparing cultures