Attachment is an emotional bond between an infant and a caregiver. A strong, positive connection helps an infant feel safe, secure and loved. The attachment bond is important for developing a child’s social and emotional skills.
Attachment in infants is developed through back-and-forth interactions with a caregiver. This process begins in the first few months of life and continues into early childhood (Choi et al.,2020). It develops through the day-to-day interactions between the caregiver and the infant. As the caregiver attends to the child’s needs, the child gets used to her because she is the one who is always available.
There are four kinds of attachment in infants, which are secure, anxious-ambivalent, anxious-avoidant, and disorganized. Secure attachment in infants is a strong, emotional bond between the infant and their primary caregiver (Dagan & Sagi‐Schwartz,2018). This bond is characterized by the infant feel safe and secure when with their caregiver and comforted by their presence. The infant knows their caregiver will respond to their needs and be available to them when needed. Anxious-ambivalent attachment in infants is a type of attachment characterized by a mix of both anxiety and ambivalence. The infant may be anxious about being separated from the attachment figure but ambivalent about getting close to them. This can lead to the infant appearing clingy or needy.
On the other hand, anxious-avoidant attachment in infants may be characterized by a lack of attachment or bonding with a caretaker and a general avoidance of physical and emotional closeness (Choi et al.,2020). Additionally, infants with an anxious-avoidant attachment may be more prone to anxiety and may have difficulty regulating their emotions. Lastly, disorganized attachment in infants refers to a pattern of attachment in which the infant experiences a high level of anxiety and insecurity in their relationship with their caregiver. This can manifest in several ways, such as the infant appearing clingy or withdrawn or exhibiting erratic or contradictory behavior towards their caregiver.
Infants and children develop an attachment to different caretakers and significant people in their lives through a process of bonding (Dagan & Sagi‐Schwartz,2018). This process involves both nature and nurture, with the infant’s natural disposition and the caretaker’s response to the infant’s needs playing a role. The attachment process typically begins in the first few months of life but can continue throughout childhood and adulthood.
Attachment is thought to affect emotional development in several ways. One is that securely attached infants are more likely to have a positive view of themselves. They feel confident and can explore their environment without feeling anxious or insecure. This exploration is thought to lead to greater self-awareness and self-esteem. Additionally, secure attachment is thought to promote empathy, as securely attached infants are more aware of and responsive to the emotions of others.
Yes, I can see the consequences of attachment from my childhood to now. I can see that I am more attached to my parents and family than I am to other people and that I tend to be clingier and dependent on them than I am on others. I can also see that I am more prone to anxiety and insecurity when I am not around my parents or family and tend to feel more lost and alone when I am away from them.
References
Choi, K. R., Stewart, T., Fein, E., McCreary, M., Kenan, K. N., Davies, J. D., … & Zima, B. T. (2020). The impact of attachment-disrupting adverse childhood experiences on child behavioral health. The Journal of Pediatrics, 221, 224–229.
Dagan, O., & Sagi‐Schwartz, A. (2018). Early attachment network with mother and father: An unsettled issue. Child Development Perspectives, 12(2), 115-121.
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