1. Supporting Healthy Attachments Between Parents and their Young Children Healthy Families Network Children’s Mental Health Series St. Paul, MN November 22, 2005 Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D., Director Irving B. Harris Training Programs Center for Early Education and Development University of Minnesota E-mail: ibharris@umn.edu

2. How does attachment develop and how does it shape later development? Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

3. Sensitive carefelt security confident, connected Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D. Secure Attachment Samantha

4. Distribution of Attachment Patterns General Population Among high-risk families Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D. Securely Attached Insecurely Attached Securely Attached 30% 70% 55% 45%

5. Anxious Resistant Attachment Erratic care preoccupied, hesitant anxious, dependent Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D. Reese

6. Anxious Avoidant Attachment Unresponsive care distant, flat aggressive, lacks empathy Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D. Andy

7. Disorganized Attachment Threat from caregiver confused, anxious dissociative disorders Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D. Devon

8. What factors underlie parents’ capacity to build a secure attachment with their child? Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

9. Anticipating both the joys and hardships of parenting Realistic Expectations About Becoming a Parent Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

10. Realistic behavioral expectations Understanding of key developmental behaviors Seeing through the eyes of the child Knowledge of Child Development Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

11. Formal resources Informal resources Skills and confidence to access those resources Social Support Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

12. Early relationships with parents and other caregivers How the person has come to think about that history (“state of mind” about remembered attachment) Relationship History Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

13. Link Between Parental State of Mind and Parent-Infant Attachment Adult Attachment Strange Situation Interview (AAI) Secure-autonomous Secure Dismissing Avoidant Preoccupied Anxious-Resistant Unresolved Disorganized Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

14. Face the pain Acknowledge its ongoing influence Arrive at an understanding of why caregivers behaved as they did Identify what to repeat and what not to repeat from the past Muster all available resources to help you live out those choices Healthy Resolution (Secure-autonomous state of mind) Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

15. What can we do to support the development of secure attachment between parents and children? Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

16. Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Group Exercise Discuss messages you experienced in childhood Tear up those you wish you had not received Focus on positive messages you want to carry forward Practice those messages during parent- infant interaction time Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

17. Relationship as a vehicle for change: Be a secure base; contradict “working models” Reframe the person’s response Reflect on experience, coping and adaptation. Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

18. Engage the Baby as Your Ally (Seeing is Believing™) Prepared by Martha Farrell Erickson, Ph.D.

19. How will you use this information in your work?