Infant attachment refers to the emotional bond or connection that develops between a baby and their primary caregiver. It is important for the baby's well-being, as it helps them feel safe, loved, and secure.
Full definition
She is best known for her landmark work in assessing the security
of infant attachment and linking attachment security to aspects of maternal care giving.
Numerous findings confirm the core hypothesis that sensitive parenting causes
infant attachment security, although other causes should not be ruled out.
Results of this first molecular genetic study of infant attachment [86, 96] seem to have transformed the attachment field by increasing interest in studying genetic and gene - environment interaction effects.
The authors suggested that
although infant attachment is slower to improve as a result of interventions there may be «sleeper» effects.
The positive long - term developmental outcome associated with a secure parent -
infant attachment relationship provides an excellent rationale for implementing attachment - based prevention programs early in life.
To be able to take good care of your baby and to create a
secure infant attachment, you need to feel good, be healthy physically and mentally.
At 18 months post-partum, participants were assessed
for infant attachment using the Ainsworth Strange Situation and were interviewed using the Behavioral Screening Questionnaire (BSQ) to assess infant problems such as sleep and feeding issues, separation anxiety, and tantrums.
I am a giant fan of Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs, in fact, I use it to explain the basis of secure
infant attachment with my clients (primarily low income, high risk new moms in South Los Angeles... no easy task!).
26Mary Main & Jude Cassidy, Categories of Response to Reunion with the Parent at Age Six: Predictable
from Infant Attachment Classifications and Stable over a One Month Period, 24 Developmental Psychol.
No association of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) and 521 C / T promotor polymorphisms with infant attachment disorganization
Attachment quality has been linked with later problem behaviours, with disorganized attachment especially predictive of dissociative symptoms (e.g. seeming spacey, «in a fog» etc.), 7 and internalizing and externalizing problems.6,8 - 10 A number of prevention and intervention programs have been developed that aim to
improve infant attachment quality.
Other measures used information from earlier sweeps (mother -
infant attachment used sweep 1 information, and supervision used sweep 4 information) while the remainder (joint activities and rule - setting) drew on information from more than one sweep.
Recently, 88 interventions on maternal sensitivity and infant security in 70 studies were included in a thoroughly extended and updated quantitative meta - analysis.6 This meta - analysis showed that interventions that specifically focused on promoting sensitive parental behaviour appeared to be rather effective in changing insensitive parenting as well as
infant attachment insecurity.
When the babies were about one year old, Mary Ainsworth invented the much renowned lab procedure called the Strange Situation Protocol to further explore and
assess infant attachment behavior in a «controlled» stressful situation.
Good Beginnings of Central Vermont Support and home visits for parent -
infant attachment by trained volunteers.
When your baby learns that you come when they cry, and by encouraging your baby's interests and showing that you care, the parent - child bond between you grows stronger and stronger — this is
how infant attachment works.
An alternative explanation for continuity in relationships is the temperament hypothesis which argues that an infant's temperament affects the way a parent responds and so may be a determining factor in
infant attachment type.
Despite academic criticism in relation to various points in her refinement of attachment theory (such as not taking infant personalities into account, or the importance and influence of other important caregivers other than just the primary one etc.) there's no doubt that the studies and theories
about infant attachment have had a profound impact on the psychology of early infant bonding and the development of attachment related therapies.
The results might raise eyebrows, such as her use of John Bowlby's
infant attachment theory to explain the behaviour of grizzly bears, or the observation that white sharks are «individuals who are conventional with narrow interests».
Secure
infant attachments impact adult couple's ability to recovering from a fight according to researchers Jessica E. Salvatore, a Ph.D. student, with Sally I - Chun Kuo, Ryan D. Steele, Jeffry A. Simpson, and W. Andrew Collins, all from the University of Minnesota.
Successful breastfeeding (which is more likely after homebirth) and mother -
infant attachment give irreplaceable and life - long health advantages to both mother and baby.
Postpartum craniosacral therapy and birth integration sessions can help you heal and integrate your birth experience, assist with breastfeeding challenges, and
support infant attachment and bonding.