Attachment Theory. Fact or Fancy? In X. X. Xxxxxxxx, X. X. Xxxxxxx, &
Attachment Theory. Basic concepts and principles
Attachment Theory. The attachment relationship refers to the affectional bond that infants establish with a specific caregiver, commonly the mother (Xxxxxx, 1969/1982, 1979). This bond is characterized by being emotionally significant and persistent over time and involving specific people with whom infants desire to maintain proximity and whom infants perceive as stronger and wiser. This bond also causes infants to feel distressed at involuntary separation from the caregiver (Xxxxxxxxx, 1989).
Attachment Theory. In sum, attachment theory provides a rich framework for understanding thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in relationships. Its strengths include a focus on both normative and pathological individual differences, a perspective that considers etiology in a developmental context, and a focus on the function served by varying responses to attachment concerns. The multifaceted nature of the theory has led to warranted criticisms that have opened up more sophisticated ways of conceptualizing adult attachment. Recognition that the processes involved are complex and that attachment is only one predictor within a greater context remains important in understanding the development of personality and psychopathology. It is especially important when potentially modifying current nosological systems that an awareness of this complexity be tethered to wider reaching applications of attachment theory. The Current Projects Given the rich theoretical and empirical literature on attachment, researchers and theorists are beginning to consider its role in the development of multiple behaviors and outcomes, both normative and pathological ones. This dissertation seeks to continue that line of inquiry in three distinct projects by exploring how attachment may relate to and inform evolving constructs of (1) personality pathology, (2) posttraumatic stress and reactions to trauma, and (3) lifespan personality growth and development of the self. These projects use multiple methods of analysis. While the first two projects are empirically-based, the third is theoretical and interdisciplinary.
Attachment Theory. Attachment Theory is an empirically grounded theory grounded in developmental psychology. It posits that attachment is a significant interpersonal aspect of the relationship between a child and parent with the primary purpose being to build secure attachments to xxxxxx a sense of protection (Xxxxxx, 2004). There are four patters of attachment: secure, avoidant, resistant and disorganized, with disorganized attachment being a significant predictor of later psychopathology and maladjustment later in life (Xxxxxxxxx et al., 2006). Research shows that about 80% of maltreated children have disorganized attachment, which is significantly higher than children who were not maltreated (Xxxxxx, 2004). Adolescents who had disorganized attachment during childhood display higher rates of mental health problems, impaired self- regulation, and increased social difficulties (Xxxxxx, 2004). Overall, attachment is an essential developmental process that establishes how individuals interact with their peers and social environments later in life. Attachment Theory is similar to the public health concept of connectedness. Connectedness refers to the protective relationships that adolescents have with individuals and environments in their lives (Bernat and Xxxxxxx, 2009). Research shows that family connectedness can be protective against several health factors including emotional distress, suicide, sexual debut, violence, and substance use among adolescents in a nationally representative sample (Xxxxxxx et al., 1997). Similarly, adolescents with connections to non- parental adults were more likely to engage in positive health behaviors and less likely to engage in problem behaviors such as violence (XxXxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxx, 2005). School connectedness has also been found to be a protective factor against emotional distress, violence and substance abuse among adolescents (Xxxxxxx et al., 1997). Lastly, research suggests that there is a positive association between adolescents who have a connection to their community, and higher levels of prosocial behaviors and lower levels of risky health behaviors (Bernat and Xxxxxxx, 2009). It is clear that connectedness and secure attachments are critical to health and social behaviors. However, many children who experience child maltreatment have multiple xxxxxx care placements and therefore are often unable to engage in these various levels of connectedness (Xxxxx, 2012). Public Health Relevance A wealth of research has been conducted to eval...
Attachment Theory
