ATTACHMENT THEORY

Attachment Theory

Attachment Theory

Part A

Attachment Theory

Attachment theory explains the relationship bond in a social relationship. This theory was formalized by the psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby , after the work of Winnicott , Lorenz and Harlow. It is also known to be a field of psychology that deals with relations between human beings. Its basic principle is that a young child needs to experience a normal social and emotional development, to develop an attachment relationship with at least one person who takes care of him in a consistent and continuous basis. Attachment theory is now one of the most popular trends in American and European psychology. Born in the depths of depth psychology, attachment theory took shape as an independent scientific school. Like psychoanalysis, attachment theory has arisen out of clinical practice. Its founders - John Bowlby and Ainsworth M. were clinical psychologists, and their early research focused on practical work with patients. Subsequently, it acquired the status of a full line of the psychological concept that goes far beyond the psychology of infancy (Minde, 2003, pp.377-381).

Implications of Attachment Theory

At present, attachment theory finds its application in various fields of psychology: social, developmental, educational, general psychology, etc. A clear example, of the widespread and unquestioning application of a psychological theory in social work is the use of Attachment Theory. Despite the diversity of theory within developmental psychology on child development (Stevenson, Giachristis, 2006, pp 135-163). 'Attachment Theory', has assumed an unrivalled authority within children's social care. Contemporary authors now write of 'Attachment Theory', as a 'paradigm' (Svanberg, 1998, p.544) and even 'knowledge' (NAfW, 2001d, p.1). The unparalled status of Attachment Theory is even evident within the legal arena (see Byrne, 2004) and local government professionals have found themselves criticised within judicial inquiries for not being conversant with Attachment Theory. Almost without exception, contemporary social work literature speaks of 'Attachment Theory' as a key to understanding the complexities of the lives of children (Ogunade, 2006b, pp.127-134).

Perhaps the most radical and controversial claim of 'Attachment Theory' is that the nature and the strength of the 'attachment pattern or bond' between child and caregiver, and the way in which separation is managed are crucial to the development and future wellbeing of the individual. Attachment theorists claim that the early interactions between the child and the caregiver create an 'internal working model' that governs the behavior and, in particular, the relationships that child will form throughout the whole life span. When caregivers are consistent, internal working models which construe the self as worthy and others as trustworthy are generated. When the caregiver is unstable and unpredictable internal working models that foster maladaption, anxiety and volatile relationships are formed. Bowlby believed that attachment in the early years affected two major domains; social relationships, and 'morality and conscience'. Similarly Renn (2002) argues for a strong link between insecure-avoidant patterns of attachment formed in childhood and juvenile violent offending. Shaver and Mikulciner (2004), prominent neo-Bowlbyians comment, .early experiences with parents affect not only the functioning and ...