Bowlby's Attachment Theory
Developmentally, parents are the most significant influencers in learning social behaviours and aiding the formation of strong attachments, and therefore successful emotional and behavioural development in children. The role and importance each parent plays in childhood development has led to profound debate in psychological research. It is argued that the primary caregiver – the mother – is most significant in influencing strong attachments and a healthy emotional and behavioural development in their children. Alternatively, additional research proposes that fathers are equally, and in some cases more, important. Despite this, one may conclude that both mothers and fathers are equally important when promoting emotional and behavioural development.
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Modern research focusing on same sex parenting affecting a child’s emotional and behavioural wellbeing emphasises the importance of both a mother and father figure in parent-child attachment and development. Meta-analytical evidence suggests that children raised by same-sex parents’ fare equally well to children raised by heterosexual parents, over an array of wellbeing measures, including emotional and behavioural development, (Perrin & Siegel, 2013. Manning, Fettro & Lamidi, 2014). This research therefore suggests that having two parental figures fulfilling mother/father roles – regardless of being the same sex – is largely significant in the formation of a secure parent-child attachment, and so a positive emotional and behavioural development.
Arguably, the formation of a secure attachment style between a child and their primary caregiver is paramount to a healthy development – emotionally and behaviourally.
Bowlby’s (1969) revolutionary attachment theory supports this argument and implies that an infant becoming attached is essential to human development. As suggested by Bowlby, a child’s earliest experiences determine their ability in creating an Internal Working Model, (IWM). An inability to do so can be detrimental to later development, consequently causing resistant or avoidant attachment types (Ainsworth) and long-term developmental issues, i.e., anxieties and not knowing what to expect from primary caregivers. Attachment theory is at the centre of research into parental-child relationships and IWM has significant importance on child development research. Additionally, it has been shown that secure parent-child attachments are not purely for mothers and fathers, but also for any non-biological caregiver that supersedes the actions of biological carers; such as adoptive or foster parents. Therefore one may conclude that although fathers and mothers play an equally important role in the formation and maintenance of a secure parent-child attachment – and so positive emotional and behavioural development, roles of primary caregivers put parents in the position to promote
attachments.
Modern research focusing on same sex parenting affecting a child’s emotional and behavioural wellbeing emphasises the importance of both a mother and father figure in parent-child attachment and development. Meta-analytical evidence suggests that children raised by same-sex parents’ fare equally well to children raised by heterosexual parents, over an array of wellbeing measures, including emotional and behavioural development, (Perrin & Siegel, 2013. Manning, Fettro & Lamidi, 2014). This research therefore suggests that having two parental figures fulfilling mother/father roles – regardless of being the same sex – is largely significant in the formation of a secure parent-child attachment, and so a positive emotional and behavioural development.
Arguably, the formation of a secure attachment style between a child and their primary caregiver is paramount to a healthy development – emotionally and behaviourally.
Bowlby’s (1969) revolutionary attachment theory supports this argument and implies that an infant becoming attached is essential to human development. As suggested by Bowlby, a child’s earliest experiences determine their ability in creating an Internal Working Model, (IWM). An inability to do so can be detrimental to later development, consequently causing resistant or avoidant attachment types (Ainsworth) and long-term developmental issues, i.e., anxieties and not knowing what to expect from primary caregivers. Attachment theory is at the centre of research into parental-child relationships and IWM has significant importance on child development research. Additionally, it has been shown that secure parent-child attachments are not purely for mothers and fathers, but also for any non-biological caregiver that supersedes the actions of biological carers; such as adoptive or foster parents. Therefore one may conclude that although fathers and mothers play an equally important role in the formation and maintenance of a secure parent-child attachment – and so positive emotional and behavioural development, roles of primary caregivers put parents in the position to promote
attachments.