Attachment

Question 1

Influences on attachment theory:

Answer 1

1. clinical observations
2. experiments with monkeys
3. theories

Question 2

Influences on attachment theory: clinical observations:

Answer 2

1. René Spitz (~ 1940): Observations of children who were separated from their parents very early and grew up in orphanages, without stable reference persons
   –>Despite good physical care, the infants were generally sickly, lagging behind in development and often developing emotional disorders
   –>Evidence of intense, long-lasting grief,
   depressive reactions

Question 3

Influences on attachment theory: experiments with monkeys:

Answer 3

1. Harry Harlow: Experiments with rhesus
   monkeys
   1.1. Milk donating wire mother vs. soft plush mother, without milk
   1.2. Time plush mother > wire mother,
   regardless of which mother provides the food
   –>Attachment not dependent on the
   satisfaction of hunger
   –>The need for intimate physical contact (cuddling, stroking) is one of the primary and innate motifs
2. Examination of anxiety and attachment reactions by confrontation with fearsome stimulus (robot bear)
3. Examination of the exploratory behavior by confrontation with interesting and new objects
4. Motherless and in total isolation grown up monkey children are as adults
   4.1. unable to interact with others
   4.2. not able to reproduce
   4.3. in artificial insemination violent parents
   –>Already short regular interactions with other monkeys had substantial positive effects on social behaviour

Question 4

Influences on attachment theory: theories:

Answer 4

1. Influence of psychoanalysis:
   - ->Freud: Importance of the earliest relationships for later development
2. Influence of ethology:
3. 1. Adaptive benefit or survival advantage of behaviours and their evolutionary history
4. 2. Konrad Lorenz: imprint on mother animal (e.g. greylag geese); provides protection, food
5. 3. Attachment in humans arose because it promotes the survival of the helpless infant, through closeness to the caregiver.

Question 5

What does Attachment Theory entail?

Answer 5

1. Biologically determined attachment behavior system that guarantees the child’s survival and mental health.
   –>Activated by stress situation: internal stress or external stress
2. Attachment behavior:
   >Crying, smiling, stretching out arms, approaching, following or clinging to the caregiver
   –>Corresponds to search for security and protection
   –>Indicates existing attachment relationship

Question 6

(Attachment theory) What is a secure base?

Answer 6

1. The presence of the trusted caregiver gives the baby a sense of security
   - ->he/she can explore the environment, acquire skills
2. Safe haven when child feels threatened or insecure
   - ->closeness leads to comfort, well-being and joy

Question 7

What are the 4 phases of development of attachment?

Answer 7

1. preliminary phase of the attachment
2. arising attachment
3. distinct attachment
4. reciprocal relationships

Question 8

First stage of development of attachment: preliminary phase of the attachment:

Answer 8

birth up to approx. 6 weeks

1. Congenital signals such as grasping, crying, smiling, screaming
   - ->help to establish close contact with other people.
2. No distinction between familiar and less familiar persons

Question 9

Second stage of development of attachment: arising attachment:

Answer 9

approx. 6 weeks to 6-8 months

1. Children begin to preferentially direct signals to familiar persons: Smile, laugh, let yourself be soothed
2. Initial expectations as to how the caregiver reacts to the child’s needs
3. Baby does not yet distinguish completely between persons (regarding attachment), can still be taken easily by strangers on the arm and be comforted

Question 10

Third stage of development of attachment: distinct attachment:

Answer 10

approx. 6-8 months to 18 months

1. Attachment to fixed caregivers is established
2. Child shows active attachment behaviour (e.g. follow, greet, fear of separation)
3. Caregiver serves as a secure base, which facilitates exploration of the environment

Question 11

Fourth stage of development of attachment: reciprocal relationships:

Answer 11

18 months - 2 years and older

1. Relationships are becoming more and more mutual
2. Increasing ability of the child to understand the feelings, goals and motives of parents - can use it to direct effort to be close to parents
3. More active role in building the relationship
   - ->As a result, the fear of separation diminishes again

Question 12

What are the expected results from the phases of attachment development?

Answer 12

1. Permanent emotional attachment of the child and its caregivers
2. Internal working model of attachment: mental representation
   2.1. of the self
   2.2. of the person(s) attached to
   2.3. relations in general
   which arise as a result of the experience with the caregivers
   –>Leads the interactions of the children with the caregivers and other persons in the childhood and later

Question 13

What are the different ways of assessing/measuring attachment?

Answer 13

1. Strange situation procedure (12-18 months)
2. Attachment Q-Sort (1-4 years)
3. Adult Attachment Interview (adolescents and adults)

Question 14

(Attachment theory) What are the 8 stages of the “strange situation”?

Answer 14

1. introducing parent and baby to playground ba researcher
2. parent sitting while baby is playing
3. stranger enters and sits next to parent and talkes to parent
4. parent leaves the room. the stranger responds to the baby and offers support of it’s upset
5. parent returns, offers support to baby if necessary, stanger leaves
6. parents leaves
7. stranger enters and offers comfort
8. parent returns, offers comfort and tries to interest baby in playing again

Question 15

What attachment behaviour is observed in each of the “strange situation” stages?

Answer 15

1. –
2. parent as a secure base
3. reaction to unfamiliar adult
4. seperation anxiety
5. reaction to reunion
6. seperation anxiety
7. ability to be soothed by stranger
8. reaction to reunion

Question 16

Attachment classification: Classification of the attachment behaviour on the basis of the child behaviour in the strange situation:

Answer 16

1. Proximity and contacting seeking
2. Contact maintaining
3. Avoidance of proximity and contact
4. Resistance to contact and comforting

• -> Assessment of Strategies
• ->Does child use attachment person as safe base?

From this we deduct the attachment style

Question 17

(Attachment theory) What are the possible attachment patterns?

Answer 17

1. Organized attachment patterns: 3 groups
2. 1. Secure attachment (Type B)
3. 2. Insecure-avoidant attachment (Type A)
4. 3. Insecure-resistant attachment (Type C)
5. Disorganized attachment behavior pattern: no clear behavior strategy, “highly uncertain” attachment relationship

Question 18

(Attachment theory) Secure attachment / Type B:

Answer 18

about 62% USA, middle class families

1. Children use the mother as a safe base and explore their environment
2. Express their feelings openly: are mostly emotionally affected by the separation, especially when they are alone all by themselves
3. Are relieved and happy about the return of the attachment person and can be easily reassured by her

Question 19

(Attachment theory) Insecure-avoidant attachment / Type A:

Answer 19

about 15% USA

1. Explore fast
2. Do not show open attachment behaviour, actively avoid contact and proximity to the attachment person
3. Act autonomously, continue to play alone after separation
4. Stress is not reflected in the emotional expression, but it is physiologically
5. Avoid contact or ignore the mother on her return
6. Insecure-avoidant children did not
   notice any stress, but showed
   6.1. comparable increase heart rate as
   securely attached children during separation
   6.2. increased cortisol levels in saliva 15
   and 30 min. after end of strange situation (secure attached children here decreased cortisol)
   (Spangler & Grossmann, 1993)

Question 20

(Attachment theory) Insecure-resistant attachment / Type C:

Answer 20

about 9% USA

1. Explore little, are often clinging
2. Are very agitated when the mother leaves the room; often cry violently
3. Seeking contact with the attachment person on their return, but find it difficult to be reassured, show ambivalent behaviour

Question 21

(Attachment theory) Disorganized-disoriented / Type D:

Answer 21

about 15%

1. no consistent, organized behavioral strategy
2. Confused or contradictory behaviour
3. E.g., children interrupt their attempt to establish closeness and contact with the attachment person, show
   3.1. stereotypes
   3.2. freezing in their movements
   3.3. acts mentally absent for a few seconds
4. Seemingly unsolvable problem: they want to approach the parent, but also seem to see in him a source of fear from
   which they want to withdraw (Main & Solomon, 1990)

Question 22

(Attachment theory) Attachment classification: conclusions:

Answer 22

1. A secure attachment is considered a protective factor, an unsecure attachment a vulnerability factor
2. Nevertheless, attachment security cannot be equated with mental health!
3. Changeability of attachment quality must be taken into account
4. Disorganized attachment is not yet a psychopathology, but a risk factor for healthy mental development

Question 23

Definition of attachment.

Answer 23

“A deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space.” (Ainsworth, 1973; Bowlby, 1969)
“Lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p.194)