ATTACHMENT THEORY

John Bowlby (and Mary Ainsworth)

Presentation By: Breana Draudt

 OBJECTIVES
v Purpose of the theory development
and selection
v Historical context of authors and
theory
v Structural elements
v Analysis using Barnums criteria
v Utility to research and practice
v Applicability to psychology well being
and relationship quality in homeless
adolescents
PURPOSE
v Bowlby: To study attachment and
effects of deviations from
attachment
v Draudt: To determine applicability of
Attachment Theory to
psychological well-being and
relationship quality in homeless
adolescents
 JOHN BOWLBY
http://www.psicoterapiaintegrativa.com/
therapists/htms/John_Bowlby.htm
v February 26, 1907 to September 2, 1990
v 4th of 6 children; upper middle class family
v Spent an average of 1 hour with his mother per day
v Grieved the loss of one of his nannies
v Father was a surgeon, encouraged Bowlby to attend
medical school
Attended medical school and later became interested in
psychiatry
v Said to be one of the top 4 most influential people in
psychology this century
 MARY AINSWORTH

http://www.famouspsychologists.org/mary-ainsworth/

v December 1, 1913 to March 21, 1999

v Notable contributions to Attachment Theory

v Studied bonding and attachment in Uganda before the formal presentation of

Attachment Theory

v Proposed some of the major concepts of Attachment Theory: Patterns of

Attachment and Secure Base
 INFLUENCES: THEORIES
v Control Systems Theory (A control system is a means by which a variable
quantity or set of variable quantities is made to conform to a prescribed
norm; the ability of one to control her environment (Waters))

v Dependency Theory (Learned drive, acquired through its association with the
reduction of primary drive (Ainsworth)) Singer and Prebischs theory

v Object-Relations Theory (object of an instinct is the agent through which

the instinctual aim is achieved, and the agent is usually conceived as
being another person (Ainsworth)) Greenberg and Mitchell 1983
 INFLUENCES: DISCIPLINES
vMedicine: Bowlbys father was a surgeon; Bowlby attended medical
school

vEthology: Study of animal behavior. Heavily influenced by Harlows

rhesus monkeys and Lorenzs study of avian species

vPsychology: Bowlby was educated in psychoanalysis after medical

school. He believed that current psychoanalytic theory did not
describe the bond between an infant and his/her parent
 Patterns
Insecure
Secure
Figures Functions
Maternal Sensitivity
Deprivation Comfort

Behaviors Attached
Early Interaction Person
Attachment Internal Working
Models

CONCEPTS
 ATTACHMENT
The dimension of the infant-caregiver
relationship involving protection and
security regulation. Within this theoretic
framework, attachment is conceptualized as
http://familymatters.vision.org/FamilyMatters/
bid/36390/Beyond-Attachment-Theory
an intense and enduring affectional bond that
the infant develops with the mother figure, a bond that is biologically
rooted in the function of protection from danger (Mooney, 2010)
T H E A T T A C H M E N T B E H AV I O U R A L S Y S T E M
( H O L M E S, 1 9 9 3 )
 ATTACHMENT BEHAVIORS
Attachment behaviour [] refers to any of the various forms of
behaviour that the person engages in from time to time to obtain and/or
maintain a desired proximity (Bowlby, 1988).
The condition in which an individual is linked emotionally with another
person, usually, but not always, someone perceived
to be older, stronger and wiser than themselves
(Holmes, 1993)
Examples: Crying, clinging, smiling, vocalizing http://www.lilomaternity.com/
blog/is-your-baby-crying/
 THE EVOLUTION OF
ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOR
Holmes, 1993)

INFANCY Babyhood Latency Adolescence Adulthood

Maternal Attachment Relationship Internal World thinking about

Handling Pattern Style thinking
Self-other
representation
 ATTACHMENT PATTERNS
v Secure Attachment:
Emotionally open and straight
forward
Accept comfort and protection
from caregiver when distressed
From available, predictable and
sensitive caregiving
v Anxious Avoidant:
Insecure
Suppress or hide negative emotions v Disorganized:
Avoid eye contact
Use toys as distraction
From consistent distant, rejecting,
punitive caregiving; emotional/
physical abuse
v Anxious Ambivalent:
Insecure
Show mixed emotions to caregiver when
distressed
Periods of helplessness and passivity,
aggression, or fear
Explores surrounding but concerned with
proximity
From unpredictable/impulsive caregivers;
neglect
Insecure
Confusing mixture of conflicting-need to seek
proximity vs. need to escape
May have abnormal body movements e.g. tics
From prolonged isolation, neurological illness
 VISUAL MODEL OF
ATTACHMENT PATTERNS

http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm
 ATTACHMENT FUNCTIONS
v Proximity Maintenance allows the person to
stay close to and resist separation from the
attachment figure
v Safe Haven Behavior provides reliability
on the attachment figure for support and comfort http://blog.lib.umn.edu/vanm0049/myblog/
2011/12/attach-vs.-detach.html
v A Secure Base is an environment provided by the attachment figure from which
a child/adolescent can return knowing that he will be welcomed, nourished physically
and emotionally, comforted and reassured. This allows for non-attachment behaviors
such as exploration, which can allow an individual to learn things that may increase
survival
 OTHER CONCEPTS
v Attachment Figure: one with whom another person (in the original context an infant/child) is
attached
v Maternal Depravation: Term from Bowblys earlier work describing the process of an infant
losing or being deprived of its mother.
v Early Interaction between infant and mother considered important for secure attachment.
Ainsworth emphasizes interaction within the first 9 months of life
v Sensitivity of the mother to her childs needs; described as a parenting style that facilitates
secure attachment; part of secure base
v Comfort is the mothers ability to soothe a distressed child; also part of secure base
v Internal Working Models
From Cognitive Psychology
Higher animals need a map of the world in the brain to predict, control and manipulate their
environment through thoughts
Environmental and organismal models that tell us about ourselves in relation to the world
 D E V E L O P M E N T A L PA T H WAY S F R O M
M A T E R N A L D E P R I VA T I O N ( H O L M E S , 1 9 9 3 )
 ASSUMPTIONS/STATEMENTS
v Assumptions not explicitly stated
Psychological bonds exist
Attachment Behaviors exist
Patterns of Attachment exist
Attachment Figures exist (usually mother)

v Statement importance not prioritized explicitly

I interpreted some of the assumptions as existential statements (above)
Relationship statements among attachment, attachment behaviors, patterns of
attachment, attachment figure, infant/child
 EVALUATION: INTERNAL
CRITICISM
v Clarity
concepts are difficult to discern, but overall clearly described
concepts are further separated into sub-concepts which are described several ways;
no single definitions
the relationship between attachment and mental health are clearly explicated
Bowlby wrote the theory in a trilogy of lectures, a synthesis of information may that
explains the theory parsimoniously is needed

v Consistency
terms are used consistently
delineates terms that may be misunderstood or have been misunderstood
Attachment Theory has recently been applied to relationships other than parent/
child, which compromises consistency of original terms, meanings
 EVALUATION: INTERNAL
CRITICISM
v Adequacy
the theory fulfills its purpose
further refinement and clarification may be necessary (e.g. synthesis of information)
the subject matter is well accounted for
v Logical Development
Developed from several theories and disciplines
Refined with input from Ainsworth and clarified in response to critique
In early development, the idea was radical and unproven; today extensive literature
supports its premises
Conclusions seem logical, argument was considered overstated given the available
evidence during the original development.
v Level of Theory Development
Well developed through several revisions (in response to critique, misunderstandings)
Work continues to be done, specifically with measurement and expanding the applicability
 EVALUATION: EXTERNAL
CRITICISM
v Reality Convergence
Attachment is needed for human development
Kettle suggests that attachment belongs in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Theory builds on existing work, very reality-based
Considered a middle-range theory (possibly high middle range given increasingly broader
applicability)
v Utility
Applied extensively to research and practice in psychology and outside of the discipline
including social work, nursing
v Significance
Mental illness is a significant problem
Although intent was not necessarily to be useful to nursing, Attachment Theory addresses a
phenomenon experienced by nurses
 EVALUATION: EXTERNAL
CRITICISM
v Discrimination
borrowed from psychology, not unique to nursing; boundaries gray
nursing interventions can influence attachment behaviors, which clouds
the boundaries
v Scope: High middle range with gushy empirical testability and applicability
Ethics of true empirical testability; retrospective studies possible
Highly applied

v Complexity
Relatively few concepts, well described although lacking concision
Factors influencing attachment are multidimensional and complex
Macro, Meso, Micro level factors
Mediators and Moderators discussed in later revisions
 OTHER CRITICISM
v Strongly focused on the maternal-infant bond
Inadequately describes paternal-infant bond
Implicitly blames mothers for childrens mental illness + takes responsibility away
from fathers
Feminists objected to Bowlbys use of biology to justify what is essentially a cultural
product of our own patriarchal but father-absent society Leupnitz (1988)

v Nature vs. nurture

Too strongly accepts nurture are causative factor for mental illness
Does not account for genetic predisposition to mental illness
v Mentions attachment figures but does not describe the differences in
attachment between parents (particularly mothers) and other individuals
to which one can be attached
 UTILITY IN RESEARCH
AND PRACTICE
Research Practice
v Psychosomatic Illness v Guides clinical psychology
Chronic Pain
v Applied to psychiatric mental health
Cardiovascular Disease
and women and infants nursing
v Relationships
v Head start
v Nurse-Patient relationship + Patient
v Custody cases
Outcomes (e.g. adherence)
v Child sexual abuse, child maltreatment
v Foster care
v Extensive research in psychology
Developmental psychopathology
Cognitive Psychology
Psychoanalysis
 NEWER AND FUTURE
APPLICABILITY
v May be more broadly applied with additional research studying attachment in
situations other than parent/child
nurse/patient
adolescent peer
romantic couples
attachment and loss at end of life

v Newly applied to psychosomatic illness

 A P P L I C AT I O N T O P R E S E N T E R S
R E S E A RC H
-Bowlby studied homeless children and adolescents
Wrote a report on mental health in homeless children in post-war
Europe for the World Health Organization (WHO)

-Several researchers apply Attachment Theory to their

research with homeless youth including Tavechhio,
Taylor-Seehafer, and Whitbeck
http://johma.org/who_we_serve

-Effective at providing a framework to understand psychological well being and

relationship quality in relation to childhood attachment in homeless adolescents
-New research leading to further applicability to peer relationships, which can also be
applied to psychological well being and relationship quality in homeless adolescents
 References
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