Infant Attachment

John Bowlby’s (1958) attachment theory has a biological, evolutionary basis (Ashford & Lecroy, 2013). During this stage a baby forms a close relationship with a caregiver to ensure its survival (Ashford & Lecroy, 2013). In relation to evolution, an infant looks to the caregiver for protection such as a young animal looks for protection from a predator.  According to Bowlby’s theory, infants and parents may be biologically programmed to form an attachment (Ashford & Lecroy, 2013). There are four phases in Bowlby’s attachment theory. Each phase describes the behavior of the infant from birth to their second year of life. ​

Infants also thrive well when there is a “good enough” attachment with the mother. It has been proven that pre-term infants often times have issues with attachment. “Pre-term infants can be less engaged with their mothers and receive less enjoyment in mother-involved play activities” (Field, 1983). Spending a great deal of time in the neonatal intensive care unit may be a contributing factor to an attachment as well. A child’s attachment with their parents and caregivers has a long lasting effect. It has been proven that children with healthy attachments have higher result in better self-knowledge and school performance. “According to Mary Ainsworth and her colleagues (1978), the infant uses the primary caregiver as a secure base, leaving him or her to explore the environment and then returning for comfort and security” (Ashford & Lecroy, 2013). Ainsworth has identified three levels attachment which include: secure attachment, anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. Within the identification of the levels, Ainsworth states that attachment refers to the affectional bonds that infants form with their caregivers and that endure across time and situations. Both theories explain the importance of healthy attachments in infants. In order for an infant to thrive they must have developed these bonds early on in their stages of development.

Ashford, J. B., Lecroy, C. W. (2013) Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Belmont, CA: Cengage

Seifer, R., & Schiller, M. (1995). The Role of Parenting Sensitivity, Infant Temperament, and Dyadic Interaction in Attachment Theory and Assessment. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, (2/3). 146