Development Of Attachment Theory Research Articles

The Self and Maternal Care: An Analysis of Rossella Schillachi's ‘Imprisoned Lullaby’

This paper discusses the importance of the nature of maternal care as it determines healthy or unhealthy psychological development. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that the ongoing quality of mother-infant interaction is more important than the issue of separation from the mother, as a close but unavailable mother or caregiver may cause extreme forms of trauma in the infant. Although attachment researchers have concentrated on the mother-child proximity and the disruptive effect of separation from the mother in the development of attachment theory, less attention has been directed towards the quality of caregiving processes that contribute to the formation and maintenance of secure attachment bonds across the lifespan. This study aims to fill this gap by showing the negative effects of suppressed and unresolved grief internalized by the mother on the mental and physical health of the child. To describe the importance of a good enough mother-child relationship, this study uses the method of textual analysis. Rossella Schillaci's documentary "Ninna Nanna Prigioniera (Imprisoned Lullaby)" provides a valuable framework to analyze how an insecure attachment between a mother and an infant can be disruptive for a child's self. The documentary follows the experience of a mother who chooses to keep her newborn and young child under three with her in prison. Roscella Schillachi illustrates the development of an insecure attachment between mother prisoner Yasmina and her daughter Lolita. The documentary film shows that unresolved traumas in a caregiver can lead to insecure or disorganized attachments in infants. Although several studies suggest that mother-child proximity during the first two years is crucial to develop a healthy sense of self, this analysis of documentary provides a different approach to the concept of separation and emphasizes that proximity to a mother with unresolved trauma disturb mother-infant attachment more than separation.

Development of Attachment Theory and Conflicts with Psychoanalysis: Focused on the History

Development of Attachment Theory and Conflicts with Psychoanalysis: Focused on the History

Four Events in the Life of John Bowlby: Their Contribution to the Development of Attachment Theory

This article argues that identifiable events in the life of John Bowlby contributed to his development of attachment theory. Bowlby's paternal grandfather died in the early English–Chinese trade wars, and his father became a physician who pioneered battlefield medical treatment. Bowlby's father later became personal physician to England's King Edward VII, socially elevating the family so that childcare was put almost entirely in the hands of nannies. Bowlby's own nanny left the household when he was approximately four years old, a loss he describes as almost equivalent to the loss of a mother. New research here reveals the full identity of his nanny Minnie along with photographs of her, published for the first time. At University, Bowlby and Evan Durbin became friends, Durbin's untimely death deeply affected Bowlby, and led him to recognise that attachment was a life-long necessity. At Bowlby's first post-university work placement he met John Alford. Alford essentially functioned as an intellectual father for Bowlby, and encouraged him to follow his own experience with children and eventually to begin to develop a more humane conceptualisation of psychoanalysis. Bowlby's formal training as a psychoanalyst led him to an extraordinarily contentious training analysis with Joan Riviere, in which he demanded that she demonstrate the validity of her psychoanalytic beliefs. Riviere was a Kleinian, and Bowlby's opposition to Klein's methodology directly contributed to the formal development of attachment theory.

Maternal attachment insecurity is a potent predictor of depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period

Maternal attachment insecurity is a potent predictor of depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period

The Art and Science of Observation: Reflective Functioning and Therapeutic Action

This article aims to illustrate the central underpinning role that observation has had in the development of attachment theory and research, and in clinical work informed by attachment theory. Also, the paper aims to highlight reflective functioning in clinical practice and how it can be shown to ignite positive change processes, with illustrations provided from our ongoing trauma-informed clinical work with our Group Attachment Based Intervention or GABI in our work with vulnerable parents and their infants and toddlers. In pointing to how reflective functioning informs clinical practice in GABI, the paper aims to highlight what is proposed as fundamental to therapeutic action with infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults/parents and that is a strikingly new relationship with a benign, supportive other, who helps one practice novel ways of thinking, feeling and acting that may later become habitual across contexts.

New directions in attachment theory and research

The goal of this special issue is to take stock of attachment theory and research as it applies to adolescent and adult relationships. We briefly summarize and comment on the 12 articles included in the issue, placing them into four thematic categories: (i) attachment theory and research viewed from a life history perspective; (ii) biological bases of attachment processes; (iii) relations between the attachment system and other behavioral systems; and (iv) extensions of attachment research in applied directions. Taken together, the 12 articles provide an exciting foundation for future research on attachment and further development of attachment theory.

Rigorous Experiments on Monkey Love: An Account of Harry F. Harlow’s Role in the History of Attachment Theory

On the basis of personal reminiscences an account is given of Harlow's role in the development of attachment theory and key notions of attachment theory are being discussed. Among other things, it is related how Harlow arrived at his famous research with rhesus monkeys and how this made Harlow a highly relevant figure for attachment theorist Bowlby.

Attachment theory and John Bowlby: Some reflections

The 100th anniversary of Edward John Mostyn Bowlby's birth (February 26th, 1907) was celebrated at the Tavistock Clinic in London by his family and colleagues, with presentations of ongoing research as well as reflections on both the person and his theory. My own reflections include the influence of ethological thinking on the development of attachment theory, Bowlby's focus on observations followed by explanation, his appreciation of emotional communication as well as behavior, and his recognition of the role of the family as well as the child/caregiver dyad. While always remaining open to new avenues of research, John Bowlby was firmly insistent on the precise use of attachment terminology, and quite rightly too!

Attachment: Theoretical development and critique

Zeanah argues that ethological attachment theory, as outlined by John Bowlby, has provided one of the most important frameworks for understanding crucial risk and protective factors in social and emotional development. However, although attachment theory and the notion of attachment disorders have influenced such initiatives, many psychologists, particularly educational psychologists, remain sceptical about the relevance of attachment theories. Research and major contributions towards the theoretical development of attachment theory are outlined, and the potential contribution of attachment theory to educational psychology is explored.

Little Hans and Attachment Theory

Bowlby (1973), applying attachment theory to Freud's case of Little Hans, hypothesized that Hans's anxiety was a manifestation of anxious attachment. However Bowlby's evidence was modest; Hans was threatened by his mother with abandonment, expressed fear of abandonment prior to symptom onset, and was separated from his mother for a short time a year before. Bowlby's hypothesis is reassessed in light of a systematic review of the case record as well as new evidence from recently derestricted interviews with Hans's father and Hans in the Freud Archives. Bowlby's hypothesis is supported by multiple additional lines of evidence regarding both triggers of separation anxiety preceding the phobia (e.g., a funeral, sibling rivalry, moving, getting his own bedroom) and background factors influencing his working model of attachment (mother's psychopathology, intense marital conflict, multiple suicides in mother's family) that would make him more vulnerable to such anxiety. Bowlby's hypothesis is also placed within the context of subsequent developments in attachment theory.

Separation and Reunification: Using Attachment Theory and Research to Inform Decisions Affecting the Placements of Children in Foster Care

ABSTRACTDeterminations regarding removal of children from home in maltreatment situations typically take into consideration the physical safety of the child. Less recognized and often underappreciated is the severe risk endured by the child as a result of separation from the caregiver, and the long‐term effects of the separation on the child. This article describes recent developments in attachment theory and research and their usefulness for placement decisions. We will explain how a child develops a secure attachment to a caregiver and review the deleterious consequences associated with maltreatment and separation. The case of a child in a foster/adoptive placement will be discussed in order to clarify common misinterpretations of attachment research and how attachment theory and research can inform permanency decisions that are in the best interest of the child.

Attachment narrative therapy: integrating ideas from narrative and attachment theory in systemic family therapy with eating disorders

AbstractThis paper proposes that recent developments in attachment theory, especially the move to the study of representations, offers some helpful new directions for systemic family therapy. Some of the findings of a close association between early attachment experiences and the coherence of the narratives are reviewed. It is suggested that this offers a useful link for systemic approaches in showing how early interactions in families promote not only particular emotional attachment patterns, but also shape the content and style of the narratives that are formed. These implications are then explored in the context of work with anorexia nervosa. It is suggested that commonly observed patterns, such as avoidance of conflict and apparent difficulties in discussing relationships and feelings, is consistent with transgenerational experiences of insecure/avoidant attachments. Some implications for systemic therapy with families are outlined and an illustrative case study is offered.

Using Narrative and Attachment Theory in Systemic Family Therapy with Eating Disorders

This article proposes that recent developments in attachment theory, especially the move towards the study of representations, offer some helpful new directions for systemic family therapy. Some of the findings of a close association between early attachment experiences and the coherence of the corresponding narratives are reviewed. It is suggested that this offers a useful link for systemic approaches in showing how early interactions in families promote, not only particular emotional attachment patterns, but also shape the content and style of the narratives that are formed. These implications are then explored in the context of work with anorexia nervosa. It is suggested that commonly observed patterns, such as avoidance of conflict and apparent difficulties in discussing relationships and feelings, is consistent with trans-generational experiences of insecure/dismissive attachments. Some implications for systemic therapy with families are outlined and an illustrative case study is offered.

ANT-Attachment Narrative Therapy

The paper proposes that recent developments in attachment theory, especially the move to the study of representations, offer some helpful new directions for systemic family therapy. Some of the findings of a close association between early attachment experiences and the coherence of the narratives are reviewed. It is suggested that this offers a useful link for systemic approaches in showing how early interactions in families not only promote particular emotional attachment patterns, but also shape the content and style of the narratives that are formed. These implications are then explored in the context of work with anorexia nervosa. It is suggested that commonly observed patterns, such as avoidance of conflict and apparent difficulties in discussing relationships and feelings, are consistent with trans-generational experiences of insecure/avoidant attachments. Some implications for systemic therapy with families are outlined and illustrative case study is offered.

Reconsidering Parent Involvement in Child Psychotherapy in the Light of Recent Developments in Attachment Theory: A Commentary on Papers by Warshaw, Pantone, and Aronson

(2000). Reconsidering Parent Involvement in Child Psychotherapy in the Light of Recent Developments in Attachment Theory: A Commentary on Papers by Warshaw, Pantone, and Aronson. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 53-59.

A Secure Base from Which to Explore Close Relationships

The theory of attachment as a secure-base relationship integrates insights about affect, cognition, and behavior in close relationships across age and culture. Empirical successes based on this theory include important discoveries about the nature of infant-caregiver and adult-adult close relationships, the importance of early experience, and about stability and change in individual differences. The task now is to preserve these insights and successes and build on them. To accomplish this, we need to continually examine the logic and coherence of attachment theory and redress errors of emphasis and analysis. Views on attachment development, attachment representation, and attachment in family and cross-cultural perspective need to be updated in light of empirical research and advances in developmental theory, behavioral biology, and cognitive psychology. We also need to challenge the theory by formulating and testing hypotheses which, if not confirmed, would require significant changes to the theory. If we can accomplish these tasks, prospects for important developments in attachment theory and research are greater than ever, as are the prospects for integration with other disciplines.

Tilknytningsteorien og dens anvendelse i klinikken

This article presents an overview of the development of attachment theory from John Bowlby's seminal work in the 1960s to the latest developments in America and Europe. Two methods of classifying a...

Parenting and School Bullying

A significant proportion of children are bullied or bully others in schools. The problem of bullying can lead to severe immediate and long-term negative consequences for all involved in the situation. Intervention studies have shown that levels of bullying can be reduced, but not eradicated from schools. This may be because bullying behaviour has its origins in parenting as well as in the school environment. Little work has yet been done directly in this area. However, several studies in Europe, Australia and the US have now linked violent behaviour and harsh discipline in parents with bullying behaviour, and overprotectiveness in parents with victimization. Complexities are also emerging regarding the roles of bullying behaviour, including bully/victims whose parenting may be particularly dysfunctional; in differences between boys and girls; and in the different developmental pathways to bullying, and victimization. These issues are discussed in the light of recent developments in attachment theory. Relevant research is reviewed, emerging themes suggested and implications for practitioners are outlined.

Attachment and psychotherapy: An overview

Attachment theory has an important role in clarifying personality development, and attachment style is increasingly recognised as a key intervening variable between personality and the response to psychotherapeutic interventions. Recent developments in attachment theory and its relationship to practice are reviewed as an introduction to a series of papers on Attachment and Psychotherapy.

Recent Developments in Attachment Theory and Research

The history and development of attachment theory are reviewed. Research has focused on four major patterns of attachment in infancy: one pattern of secure attachment and three patterns of insecure attachment (avoidant, resistant, and disorganized). These patterns have been shown to reflect different histories of parent-child interaction and affected subsequent development up to age eight. More recently, methods have been developed for identifying similar patterns of attachment in preschoolers, five to seven year olds and adults. Future research is likely to focus on the development of attachment patterns and their transmission from one generation to another. New data on the relationship between attachment and behaviour problems has generated mutual respect and collaboration between clinicians and researchers.