respond to the classmates:

Classmate #1:

Hello Class,

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Halloween because I am feeling under the weather and will try to get this post done because I am sick. There are four types of attachments which are anxious, disorganized, avoidant, and secure attachment. Secure attachment is something that I can very well relate to as a mother. This is when a child feels safe, secure, comforted and they rely on the parents and caregivers to protect them from harm or danger. Attachment is an emotional bond with another person. Bowlby believed that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers have a tremendous impact that continues throughout life. He suggested that attachment also serves to keep the infant close to the mother, thus improving the child’s chances of survival. (verywellmind).

When a child feels that they are protected it helps with their mental health whereas if they are at risk for insecure attachment, they develop issues in their lives such as behavioral or emotional issues. Attachment is a clinical term used to describe “a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1997)1. In particular, attachment theory highlights the importance of a child’s emotional bond with their primary caregivers. Disruption to or loss of this bond can affect a child emotionally and psychologically into adulthood and have an impact on their future relationships. (learningnspcc.orguk). When attachment is not securely developed a child may feel some type of anxiety, less social, aggressiveness, tantrums, withdrawn, poor coping skills, in some cases behaviors that continue throughout their lives.

Reference

Attachment and child development. NSPCC Learning. (n.d.). https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-health-development/attachment-early-years

Kendra Cherry, Mse. (2023, February 22). How attachment theory works. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337

Kerns, K. A., & Brumariu, L. E. (2014). Is Insecure Parent-Child Attachment a Risk Factor for the Development of Anxiety in Childhood or Adolescence?. Child development perspectives, 8(1), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12054

Classmate #2:

Good afternoon, class!

Discussing attachment and attachment styles is actually one of my favorite topics in child psychology. I studied this topic extensively last year around wrote a large paper on attachment styles, how they develop, and the risks of each unhealthy attachment style.

Attachment styles develop in infancy and toddlerhood where children develop attachment styles with their parents or caregivers that reflect the way they see them and their level of security. (Cherry, 2022) There are four attachment styles, secure attachment, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and anxious avoidant attachment. The secure attachment style is the ideal, healthy attachment, and children with this attachment style have the best psychological development that sets them up the best for positive, healthy, and secure relationships in the future. The secure attachment style is indicative of a healthy, secure relationship with the caregiver where the child feels safe with them and secure enough to explore their own world without fear of the caregiver’s rejection. The other three attachment styles all have to do with an unhealthy, insecure attachment to the caregiver, where the child does not feel secure under their care. For example, an anxious attachment style develops when a child is anxious about the caregiver’s departure and clings to them for security, while an avoidant attachment style develops when a child feels dismissed by the parent and avoidant of their care due to a number of factors. An anxious-avoidant attachment style is a combination of the two where mixed feelings about the caregiver come into play. The insecure attachment styles have a major impact on development as they provide a basis for stability for the child to grow and develop.

I realized as I reviewed the lessons that I learned different names for the attachment styles in previous learning than the names that are used in the lesson. Here is a chart for reference.

Secure Attachment = Secure Attachment

Insecure Avoidant Attachment = Avoidant Attachment

Insecure Resistant Attachment = Anxious Attachment

Disorganized/Disoriented Attachment = Anxious/Avoidant Attachment

I linked an attachment style quiz below if you want to find out your attachment style! Better understanding your attachment style might help you understand your feelings and relationships better and you can learn your tendencies and how to help them.

Attachment Style Quiz: Free & Fast Attachment Style Test (attachmentproject.com)

Best, Rachel

Resources

Cherry, K. (2022, May 26). What You Should Know about Attachment Styles. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/attachment-styles-2795344