Attachment & Bonding The Basis for Attachment Disorder

John Bowlby – the father of Attachment Theory John Bowlby – the father of Attachment Theory Believed that separations from the birth mother were disastrous developmentally because they thwarted the instinctual needs of the child and created distorted attachment behaviour Believed that separations from the birth mother were disastrous developmentally because they thwarted the instinctual needs of the child and created distorted attachment behaviour

Attachment is...a natural, biological drive for a child to seek proximity to, and contact with, a specific figure (parent or caregiver) when frightened, tired or ill Attachment is...a natural, biological drive for a child to seek proximity to, and contact with, a specific figure (parent or caregiver) when frightened, tired or ill

Children typically develop 1 of 3 different types of attachment behaviours: Children typically develop 1 of 3 different types of attachment behaviours: –Secure (consistent; appropriately developed) –Ambivalent (inconsistent) –Avoidant attachment (not comfortable with others; nor desirous to be with others)

WHAT IS YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE? FIND OUT …

What’s your attachment style? A - ‘I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others; I find it difficult to trust them completely, difficult to allow myself to depend on them. I am nervous when anyone gets too close and often love partners who want me to be more intimate than I feel comfortable.’ A - ‘I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others; I find it difficult to trust them completely, difficult to allow myself to depend on them. I am nervous when anyone gets too close and often love partners who want me to be more intimate than I feel comfortable.’

What’s your attachment style? B – ‘I find it relatively easy to get close to others and am comfortable depending on them. I don’t often worry about being abandoned or someone getting too close to me.’ B – ‘I find it relatively easy to get close to others and am comfortable depending on them. I don’t often worry about being abandoned or someone getting too close to me.’

What’s your attachment style? C – ‘I find that other people are reluctant to get as close as I would like them to. I often worry that my partner doesn’t really love me or won’t want to stay with me. I want to get very close to my partner, and this sometimes scares people away.’ C – ‘I find that other people are reluctant to get as close as I would like them to. I often worry that my partner doesn’t really love me or won’t want to stay with me. I want to get very close to my partner, and this sometimes scares people away.’

If you selected A – you’re expressing an avoidant, insecure attachment style (25 % of the population) If you selected A – you’re expressing an avoidant, insecure attachment style (25 % of the population) If you selected B - you are securely attached to your parents and are secure in your attachment to others (55 % of the population) If you selected B - you are securely attached to your parents and are secure in your attachment to others (55 % of the population) If you selected C – you are anxious- ambivalent (20 % of the population) If you selected C – you are anxious- ambivalent (20 % of the population)

Why is attachment necessary? The first year is one of needs; EVERYTHING that a child needs must be brought to them for much of the first year of his/her life (if no one attends carefully to these needs, the child lacks proper care) The first year is one of needs; EVERYTHING that a child needs must be brought to them for much of the first year of his/her life (if no one attends carefully to these needs, the child lacks proper care) This gratification (or satisfaction of the need) stimulates the development of the trust process (remember Erikson- Trust vs Mistrust) This gratification (or satisfaction of the need) stimulates the development of the trust process (remember Erikson- Trust vs Mistrust)

Why Might This Attachment Not Occur? The care cycle may be undermined for many reasons: The care cycle may be undermined for many reasons: Multiple disruptions in care-giving (i.e. - foster care) Multiple disruptions in care-giving (i.e. - foster care) Maternal post-partum depression Maternal post-partum depression Hospitalization of the child Hospitalization of the child Parents who are attachment disordered Parents who are attachment disordered Genetic factors Genetic factors Pervasive mental or emotional disorders Pervasive mental or emotional disorders

What is Attachment Disorder? Refers to people who have problems in forming affectionate (trust) bonds with others Refers to people who have problems in forming affectionate (trust) bonds with others

Symptoms include: Lack of eye contact Lack of eye contact Superficially engaging and charming (phony) Superficially engaging and charming (phony) Indiscriminately affectionate with strangers Indiscriminately affectionate with strangers Not affectionate on parental terms Not affectionate on parental terms Destructive to self, others & material things Destructive to self, others & material things Cruelty to animals Cruelty to animals Lying in the face of the obvious Lying in the face of the obvious

Low impulse control Low impulse control Learning lags Learning lags Lack of cause & effect thinking Lack of cause & effect thinking Lack of conscience Lack of conscience Abnormal eating patterns Abnormal eating patterns Poor peer relations Poor peer relations Preoccupation with fire & gore Preoccupation with fire & gore Persistent nonsense questions & chatter Persistent nonsense questions & chatter Inappropriately demanding & clingy Inappropriately demanding & clingy Abnormal speech patterns Abnormal speech patterns Sexually inappropriate Sexually inappropriate

Prevalence of Attachment Disorder Rates are very high for those living outside of the family system; living in child welfare system Rates are very high for those living outside of the family system; living in child welfare system As many as 50 % of all foster children experience more than 1 placement As many as 50 % of all foster children experience more than 1 placement

34 % of maltreated children who are placed in foster care have 3 or more moves in their lives either from home to foster home, or from foster home to foster home 34 % of maltreated children who are placed in foster care have 3 or more moves in their lives either from home to foster home, or from foster home to foster home

Up to 80 % of high risk families (those with abuse, neglect, poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, history of maltreatment in parents’ childhood, depression, & psychological disturbances) create severe attachment disorders in their own children Up to 80 % of high risk families (those with abuse, neglect, poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, history of maltreatment in parents’ childhood, depression, & psychological disturbances) create severe attachment disorders in their own children

Therefore, the less long term stability with primary caregivers, the greater the increase in likelihood for Attachment Disorder Therefore, the less long term stability with primary caregivers, the greater the increase in likelihood for Attachment Disorder