Attachment & Daycare

1. Attachment & Daycare Modules 9-1 & 14-1

2. What Is Attachment? • Attachment – an emotional bond between two people

3. When, how & why does Attachment develop? • By 6 months, infants show obvious signs of attachment to their mothers (primary caregivers) • Freud suggested that this is the foundation for all later relationships. • Psychoanalysts & behaviorists thought that feeding was the basis for attachment.

4. What is the basis for Attachment? • 1950s-Harry Harlowe showed that contact comfort rather than feeding was the basis for attachment in monkeys • Baby monkeys preferred terrycloth to wire “surrogate mothers”

5. Social Development • Harlow’s Surrogate Mother Experiments • Monkeys preferred contact with the comfortable cloth mother, even while feeding from the nourishing wire mother

6. Assessing attachment:Ainsworth: The Strange Situation • 1 Parent/baby in playroom • 2 Parent seated, baby plays • 3 Stranger enters • 4 Parent leaves, stranger responds to baby • 5 Parent returns, stranger leaves • 6 Parent leaves • 7 Stranger enters & offers comfort • 8 Parent returns

7. Attachment Patterns Secure – (65%) parent is a secure base; may cry at separation; seek contact on return Insecure Avoidant – (20%) unresponsive to parent; not distressed when leaves; treat stranger like parent; slow to greet on reunion Insecure Resistant – (10-15%) seek closeness, cling, fail to explore; cry at separation angry, resistive behavior on return; not easily comforted Disorganized/disoriented – (5-10%) confused, contradictory behavior; odd postures; flat emotion; fearful

8. Attachment & Later Development • Attachment provides inner feelings of affection & security. • Securely attached preschoolers were high in self-esteem, socially competent, cooperative and popular. • Avoidantly attached agemates were isolated and disconnected. • Resistantly attached agemates were disruptive and difficult.

9. Attachment Styles • Mary Ainsworth (1979) identified three attachment styles between infants and caregiver: • Secure attachment style (70%) - caregiver is responsive to infant’s needs; infant trusts caregiver • Avoidant attachment style (20%) - caregiver is distant or rejecting; infant suppresses desire to be close to caregiver • Ambivalent attachment style (10%) - caregiver is inconsistently available and overbearing with affection; infant clings anxiously to caregiver and then fights against closeness by pushing away

10. Links Between Attachment in Childhood and Close Relationships in Adulthood • Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver (1987) examined continuity between childhood attachment and romantic relationships • Securely attached infants are more likely to have a secure attachment to adult romantic partner • Individuals with avoidant attachment style in childhood find it difficult to develop intimate relationship in adulthood • Individuals can revise attachment styles in adulthood

11. Long-term Effects • Stroufe & others, 2005 • Longitudinal study (later childhood/teens) • Positive emotional health • Higher self-esteem • Self-confidence • Social competence with peers, teachers, counselors, romantic partners

12. Attachment & Later Development • Securely attached had better social skills and relationships with peers. • Secure attachment leads to improved cognition, better social and emotional competence in later years. • Disorganized attachment is consistently related to high hostility and aggression in school • Study of children age 11 at summer camp

13. Attachment & Later Development • Continuity of caregiving • The picture can change over the years. • The best predictor of adult function is not secure attachment in infancy, but whether the child experienced a family divorce.

14. Attachment in Adolescence • Study using the AAI – Adult Attachment Interview • Teenagers securely attached to parents have better: • Social competence • Self esteem • Emotional adjustment • Physical health • Behavior (fewer problem behaviors)

15. Types of Attachment in Adolescence • Secure autonomous • Dismissing avoidant • Rejected by caregiver; deny importance of attachment; related to violent behavior • Preoccupied ambivalent • Attachment seeking; parent inconsistently available; high conflict • Unresolved disorganized • Had traumatic experience; disoriented, fearful

16. Adult Attachment Styles • Secure – good relationships • Insecure avoidant – difficulty establishing relationships; quickly end relationships; prone to one-night stands, depression • Ambivalent – less trusting, more jealous, tend to anger and emotional intensity

17. Factors in Security of Attachment I. Opportunity – orphans, working parents 2. Baby’s Characteristics - temperament 3. Family Context 4. Quality of Caregiving - Erikson

18. Factors – 1. Opportunity Institutionalized babies often have emotional difficulties because they are prevented from establishing a bond. Adoptions show the first bond can be established as late as 4-6 years. These children may have an excessive desire for adult attention and few friendships.

19. Factors – 2. Baby Characteristics Prematurity, birth complications, newborn illness. Temperamentally difficult babies?

20. Factors – 3. Family Circumstances Divorce Financial strain Career demands/role conflicts Parents’ childhood experiences

21. Factors – 4. Quality of Caregiving Sensitive caregiving and interactional synchrony related to secure attachment across cultures Overly stimulating, intrusive care associated with avoidant attachment. Inconsistent care associated with resistant attachment. Child abuse and neglect associated with disorganized attachment.

22. Children in Childcare • In U.S. Currently 2+ million children in childcare; 5+ million in kindergarten • Parental Preferences • Relative care • Non-relative (unlicensed) care • Child-care Center • Employer • Church • Commercial • Percentages of children shift from relative to commercial as the children get older.

23. Quality of Childcare Factors • Provider training • Adult to child ratio (<10; <20) • Planned curriculum • Rich Language Environment (conversation) • Sensitive caregivers (when to intervene) • Appropriate materials and activities • Safety & Cleanliness

24. Unrealistic Comparisons • Can anybody afford daycare this good? • Example: Harvard Demonstration Project • Staff pediatrician • Non-teaching director • 3:1 infant/teacher ratio • Teachers and aides trained to smile

25. Cognitive Development • Rule of Thumb • Daycare attendance slows the cognitive development of middle-class children somewhat. • Daycare speeds up the cognitive development of disadvantaged children.

26. Childcare and Attachment • Childcare children at 15 months with unresponsive mothers showed insecure attachment; not at 36 months • Vanelli (2004) • Children in daycare <30 hours/week compared to children in daycare >40 hours. More daycare • More illness • More behavior problems • Less sensitive interaction with mother

27. Attachment & Daycare Infants placed in full-time child care before 12 months of age are more likely to display insecure attachment (Belsky, 1992). Explanations: Could be mom’s work stresses, Could be healthy autonomy. Could be quality of daycare. Could be an interaction effect.

28. Attachment & Childcare • NICHD Study (longitudinal, 1300 children) • Regardless of quality of care, children 4.5 – 5 years old, children averaging 30 hours or more per week of daycare were rated by mothers, caregivers, and kindergarten teachers as having more behavior problems, especially defiance, disobedience, and aggression.

29. What is the purpose of daycare anyway? • Babysitting for working moms • Fear that your child will get behind • China – good academic start • Japan – experience as a group member • U.S. - To make children more independent • Start children on the road to good citizenship