SHARING ATTACHMENT PRACTICES ACROSS CULTURES: Learning from Immigrants and Refugees (original) (raw)
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Attachment in Children Gökçen İLHAN ILDIZ & Emine AHMETOĞLU INTRODUCTION Attachment is an emotional process necessary for survival of a child and is synonymous with the child's search for an emotional tie to a caregiver (Hazan & Shaver, 1994). Emphasizing on the importance of attachment, Bowlby defines is as "the meaningful, private and long-lasting emotional tie between two people". Bowlby (1973) suggests that inclination to and necessity of forming attachment is necessary for survival of newborns and the functional attachment system from the developmental perspective. The most apparent behavior of a child is "the effort to attach". The baby strives to cling to the mother (Güneş, 2014). The baby needs to be attached to the mother and avoids exclusion (Scharff, 1995). "The baby thinks that mother is his/her continuation, wants to see her anytime. In her absence, he/she gets worried, begins to cry and feels alone" (Güneş, 2014). "Need for attachment is apparent in both human beings and primates and can be defined as a bio-social process to protect the newborn baby from external threats, therefore the need for forming close relationships with other human beings is a fundamental aspect of human nature" (Bowlby, 1980). First, Freud (1960) suggested that an infant's emotional attachment to mother formed the basis of his/her future relationships. Contemporary researchers recognized the importance of parent-infant attachment but suggested that following development is influenced not only by early attachment experience but also ongoing quality of parentchild attachment (Berk, 2013). It is known that insecure attachment to the caregiver may cause emotional and behavioral problems in later stages of life (Perry, 2001). To summarize, attachment includes several key roles. Therefore; 1) attachment enables long-lasting emotional ties with special ones, 2) this relationship provides security, comfort and satisfaction, 3) loss or the risk of losing the special one causes extreme suffering" (Perry, 2001). Basic Functions of Attachment Bowlby (1980) suggests the existence of an attachment system designed to safeguard the intimacy between infant and caregiver under threatening circumstances. As infants need care and protection for a long time, they are born with a desire to be close to attachment figures and a series of behaviors to keep this intimacy. The system that strengthens attachment behavior works with the basic objective of providing security and protection. Therefore, when a threat to security is perceived the system works automatically and keeps active through whole life (Shaver&Mikulincer, 2002). Attachment behavior develops persistently and is sustained strongly through whole
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Attachment theory has been generating creative and impactful research for almost half a century. In this article we focus on the documented antecedents and consequences of individual differences in infant attachment patterns, suggesting topics for further theoretical clarification, research, clinical interventions, and policy applications. We pay particular attention to the concept of cognitive "working models" and to neural and physiological mechanisms through which early attachment experiences contribute to later functioning. We consider adult caregiving behavior that predicts infant attachment patterns, and the stillmysterious "transmission gap" between parental Adult Attachment Interview classifications and infant Strange Situation classifications. We also review connections between attachment and (a) child psychopathology; (b) neurobiology; (c) health and immune function; (d) empathy, compassion, and altruism; (e) school readiness; and (f) culture. We conclude with clinical-translational and public policy applications of attachment research that could reduce the occurrence and maintenance of insecure attachment during infancy and beyond. Our goal is to inspire researchers to continue advancing the field by finding new ways to tackle long-standing questions and by generating and testing novel hypotheses.
Attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby mainly in order to explain the distress that is observed in infants' behavior while they are separated from their primary caregivers . Bowlby started his research on the particular area after realizing the difficulties of children in forming emotional bonds with other while he was working in a home for maladjusted boys. According to him, separation of the infant from the primary caregiver creates the feeling of aggression which is a response to threat and it is expressed after the separation which is perceived as a threat . He observed infants' behaviors such as crying, searching for the caregiver and clinging, which are mainly expressed in order to prevent separation or to reestablish proximity.
Twenty-First Century Attachment Theory
The MIT Press eBooks, 2017
Attachment theory is the focus of considerable contemporary developmental research. Formulated by Bowlby more than fi fty years ago, it has been the subject of ongoing critique, particularly in terms of its relevance in non-Western settings. Attachment theorists have modifi ed the theory in response to empirical fi ndings, advances in allied fi elds, and further ideas. Yet, as evidenced by this Forum, work still remains. This chapter summarizes changes to some of the central areas of attachment theory as well as remaining points of contention: To whom do infants become attached? How should differences in attachment relationships be characterized? What infl uences lead to differences in attachment relationships? What are the outcomes of differences in attachment? Its intent is to sharpen the ways that culturally informed research can contribute to a better understanding of the attachment process and its consequences. Discussion concludes with broad refl ections on attachment and culture.
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