does early attachment predict later behaviour
Attachment is generally considered to be an emotional bond, or strong affectionate ties to a companion. For the purposes of this paper 'attachment' will refer to the primary attachment formed between an infant and his/her primary caregiver. It is maintained that a healthy primary attachment relationship is an essential element the in the emotional and psychological development of the infant and that the formation of the attachment will provide the infant with a base from which to judge and react to situations throughout life. It has thus been suggested that the quality of the attachment relationship of the infant will predict later behaviour, however evidence concerning later developmental outcomes is mixed and must be clarified. Ainsworth, Bell and Stayton (1971) found individual differences in infant attachment relationships, and proposed that these differences are crucial in development of the child. Mary Ainsworth and her colleagues devised a test called the 'strange situation', to measure the quality of an infants attachment relationship to his/her primary caregiver. This consists of 8 short episodes, which attempt to simulate events that would take place in the process of normal living. Through these the experime
Finally, it has actually been found that the best prediction for adult outcomes is actually peer relationships during adolescence, though of course there is be a direct link between infant attachment and adolescent behaviour (Skolnick, 1986). Therefore it can be suggested that although attachment classification has very high prediction value, it does not necessarily bind the child for the rest of his/her life. There is much evidence to support the theory that this attachment quality can predict later behaviour. Matas, Arend, and Sroufe (1978) gave infants of 18 months an attachment relationship classification by observing mother/child interaction; they found that infants with an insecure attachment classification were in general less cooperative, enthusiastic, persistent, and less competent in problem solving tasks than securely attached babies. That sample of infants were again assessed at age 4 1/2 years by Arend et al. (1979), who found that the children originally classified as securely attached now showed significantly greater flexibility, persistence and curiousness than the earlier insecurely attached infants. Pipp, Easterbrooks and Hammon (1992) also found secure babies to be more creative and complex in play at aged 2. Londerville and Main (1981) found that infants who were securely attached at 12 months were more likely to obey their primary caregiver and be cooperative at 21 months. Bates, J. E., Maslin, C. A., and Frankell , K. A. (1985). Attachment security, mother-child interaction and temperament as predictors of behaviour problem ratings at age three years. In Lyons-Ruth, K., Alpern, L., and Repacholi, B. (1993). Disorganised infant attachment classification and maternal psychosocial problems as predictors of hostile-aggressive behaviour in the pre-school classroom. Child Development, 64, 572-585. It is the forming of the attachment that is vital to the infant for healthy development. Attachment quality stems from child attributes and temperament, caregiving sensitivity, environment and the interaction of all three. Thomas and Chess (1977) developed the 'goodness of fit' model to explain attachment formation. They suggest that secure attachments form when there is a good fit between the child's temperament and the caregiving it receives, thus sensitivity to the baby is of prime importance. Inge Bretherton (1990) proposes that through this interaction infants develop an Internal Working Model, which is a cognitive representation of themselves and the world that they use to form the basis of rules governing interpretation and expression of emotion in the different situations they are faced with. A child reared sensitively and responsively will learn that people are dependable and trustworthy; on the other hand, insensitive, neglectful or abusive caregiving will lead to insecurity and mistrust and the child will form a negative Internal Working Model. Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) expand on this to suggest the optimal internal working model for healthy psychological development is made up of a positive representation of themselves and the caregiver, as contrariety might cause avoidant or preoccupied behaviour. On the other hand, Bates, Maslin and Frankell (1985) failed to find a relation between attachment behaviour in the 'strange situation' at 12 months and behaviour problems at three years. Goldberg, Corter, Lojkasek, and Minde (1990) also found no relationship between infant attachment and later problem behaviours. Even many studies that find have a general relationship between insecure attachment and later behaviour problems, report significant number of exceptions. Bretherton, I. (1990). Open communication and internal working models: their role in the development of attachment relationships . in R. A. Thompson (Ed.), Socioemotional development. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Vol. 36). Lincon: University of Nebraska Press. However, evidence suggests the findings cou
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Kim Chisholm, Waters Deane, Elizabeth Carlson, Erikson Nahmiss, Alpern Repacholi, McGuffog Jaskin, Jocobson Wille, Wippman Sroufe, Mary Ainsworth, Arend Sroufe, child development, attached infants, securely attached, infant attachment, primary caregiver, attachment classification, attachment relationship, securely attached infants, attachment quality, insecurely attached, 'strange situation', lyons-ruth alpern repacholi, child development 69, found securely attached, insecurely attached infants,
Approximate Word count = 2808
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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