Based on the theory of attachment, what behaviors would a nurse attempt to stimulate when working with parents to promote health attachment?
A nurse working with parents to create a healthy attachment will specifically urge four fundamental behaviors. Here are some instances of these actions: Attunement, participation, sensitivity, and responsiveness are some of the behaviors that fall under this category. The ability of a parent to discern their child's emotional cues and react suitably is known as "sensitivity." A perceptive parent may recognize when their child is feeling anxious, angry, or scared and react in a way that comforts and uplifts the child. This hypothesis states that during infancy and the early years of life, babies and young children develop strong emotional relationships with their primary caregivers, which is essential for the child's psychological and social development. It is an attachment like a two-way relationship. (Devacht, 2019)
A nurse working with families to create a healthy attachment will specifically urge four fundamental behaviors. Here are some instances of these actions: Attunement, participation, sensitivity, and responsiveness are some of the behaviors that fall under this category.
Thus, the youngster looks to the caregiver for comfort and security while the caregiver offers the child support and comfort. This is due to the child's perception that connection-making is a process that goes both ways. There is proof that this theory ties formed in early life can have a big influence on someone's life. Numerous human characteristics, such as attachment types, bonding, and attachment disorders, have been explained by attachment theory. The foundation for attachment theory was established by the British physician and psychoanalyst John Bowlby. John Bowlby's observations of children in facilities like hospitals and orphanages had a significant influence on his attachment study. He noticed that children who received insufficient care typically had emotional and behavioral issues. Speaking of responsiveness, we indicate the parent's capacity to promptly and appropriately attend to their children's needs. A responsive parent is conscious of their child's needs and meets those needs at the right times and with the right amount of care, attention, and support. (Heo, 2019)
The ability of a parent to establish a loving and caring relationship with their children is referred to as engagement. A caring and involved parent interacts with their child in a joyful and loving way and provides a supportive and nurturing atmosphere for them. One term for a parent's capacity to sense their child's emotional state is "attunement." According to Bowlby's theory of attachment, attachment develops over four stages:
- Between four and twelve weeks after birth is when the pre-attachment stage occurs. The infant is more concerned with taking care of themselves and does not yet form a close bond with a particular caregiver.
- The period of attachment development is thought to occur between six weeks and seven months of age. Because they have developed a bond with their primary caregiver, infants experience symptoms of separation anxiety when they are taken from them.
- Between the ages of seven months and two years is when the connection reaches its crystal-clear stage. The infant is upset if they are taken away from their primary caregiver because they have developed a close bond with them.
- Relationships that are reciprocal: This phase begins at about the two-year mark and lasts until the partnership dissolves. Although the child can develop relationships with other people, they have a close bond with their primary caregiver. (Devacht, 2019)