According to Bowlby, “Mother love in infancy is just as important for a child’s mental health, as vitamins and minerals are for physical health” Discuss this quotation in relation to relevant attachment research and theory. Contained within the above topic that our discussion will address, is a quote from psychologist Dr John Bowlby. It originally appeared in a World Health Organization (WBA) commissioned report that was written by Bowlby in 1951. Bowlby also had his findings published in paperback form, which was titled ‘Maternal Care and Mental Health’. In which he offered his hypothesis on attachment and its importance between mother and child.
44 Thieves Study (Bowlby, 1944) John Bowlby believed that the relationship between the infant and its mother during the first five years of life was most crucial to socialization. He believed that disruption of this primary relationship could lead to a higher incidence of juvenile delinquency, emotional difficulties and antisocial behavior. To support his hypothesis, he studied 44 adolescent juvenile delinquents in a child guidance clinic. Aim: To investigate the effects of maternal deprivation on people in order to see whether delinquents have suffered deprivation. According to the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis, breaking the maternal bond with the child during the early stages of its life is likely to have serious effects on its intellectual, social and emotional development.
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s explanation of attachment. Bowlby worked for many years as a psychoanalyst, and was very influenced by Freud’s theories of development in children. Although, he also found the work of Lorenz, on innate nature of bonds through imprinting very interesting. Bowlby took both, Freud’s and Lorenz’s, ideas to produce his own evolutionary theory of attachments. Bowlby believed that attachments are natural and adaptive.
Also the study of Goodman and Reed (1986) they did a study on children ages between 3-6 years and they played Simon say’s and then 5 days later they were questioned about this event. They found that the 3 year olds recalled less detail. Loftus (1974) reported a lab study which demonstrated the huge role that anxiety can play. Participants were exposed to two situations, one, a low key discussion which results in a person emerging from a room with a pen in his hand, and the other, a heated argument resulting in breaking of glass, smashing of chairs and man emerging holding a bloodstained knife. Participants were then given 50 photos and asked to identify the person.
Ainsworth’s strange situation The strange situation was an experiment carried out by Mary Ainsworth to measure and test the nature of attachment between an infant and their caregiver. The strange situation (SS) was used to look at how infants react under a stressful situation e.g. separated from caregiver (causing separation anxiety) and also the presence of a stranger (stranger anxiety). Furthermore it aimed to encourage infants to explore. There were a panel of experienced judges that observed the behaviours that were observed between the infants and caregivers.
Michael Rutter and the case study of Romanian orphans in 1998 Aim: Rutter et al wanted to find if it was separation from the mother or the severe circumstances in Romania that was responsible for any negative effects Procedure: 111 Romanian children were assessed on a variety of measures of physical and intellectual ability when they arrived to Britain. Most of them had been in the orphanages from shortly after they were born. The children’s IQ was tested when they came in the UK and the average score for the Romanian orphans was 63.For those over 6 months the average was 45.Physical development was also poor,51% of them being in the bottom of 3% of the population for weight. They were also shorter in height than was normal for their age and had smaller head circumferences. The Romanian children were tested again at the age of 4 and compared to a control group of 52 British-adopted children who were 4 as well, who didn’t show any of the negative effects suffered by the Romanians.
Psychology Assignment Attachment John Bowlby was a British psychoanalyst born in 1907. He believed that mental health and behavioural problems could be attributed to early childhood experiences. He was commissioned by the World Health Organisation to investigate the effects on children’s development of being raised in an institution. To formulate his theory of attachment Bowlby drew on the work of Psychoanalytical theorists and Ethological theorists, such as Konrad Lorenz. ‘The time is ripe for a unification of Psychoanalytical concepts with those of Ethology’ J Bowlby 1953 Bowlby’s theory begins with the idea that we are all born with innate drives, this comes from the Darwinist theory that all characteristics have survival value, Bowlby would consider attachment to be one of these characteristics.
There are many questions to ask when taking a child to a setting such as a creche as its only temporary care and things will be done rather differently then a day nursery for example, if a child has a bump to the head in a day nursery, an accident form and a bump to the head form is written out and the child is given first aid, and parents are contacted. There should be a named first aider in the building and of course a first aid box. A crèche reflects the purpose of the childcare setting by being able to care and educate children even if it is in a short space of time, and the creche settings will cater for many different ages groups from babies to older children that are placed into the setting for parents to be able to go back to work/shopping/gym or do what they need to do, There are many different ages of the children who will attend a crèche, and the space that they provide, promoting a relaxing environment for children to play. A creche should offer equipment that is suitable for all the ages, and activities should be suitable for the age ranges that are
Many studies have looked at the link between maternal depression, attachment and disturbed behaviour. One study of 18 month old infants who’s mothers had suffered from post natal depression were found to be much more likely to be assessed as ‘insecurely attached’ in the ‘Strange Situation Test’ [Woodhead, M et al 2005]. The Strange Situation Test is designed to assess the child’s attachment to their caregiver. It is usually performed on infants 1 – 2 years old. The test consists of ‘a series of separations and reunions of child, caregiver and a stranger’ [Oates et al, 2005].
The caregivers expressed moderate stress in regards to money, job, housing and parenting issues. These caregivers were given a checklist to record behaviors in their chronically ill children within the age group of 2-18 years of age. In this research it was founded that 38% of these children had scores indicating behavioral and mental problems that required treatment. Caucasian children had a higher score in comparison to African American children. In addition, children who had poorer health and poorer capability to access health care had the worse scores.