scholarly journals Is Attachment Theory Consistent with Aboriginal Parenting Realities?

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Neckoway ◽  
Keith Brownlee ◽  
Bruno Castellan
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Parenting Practices ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Cultural Groups ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

Attachment theory has become one of the most influential models guiding parent-child relationships in programs of prevention, treatment, and education, including programs for Aboriginal parents. However, whether the model can be reliably applied when working with Aboriginal peoples has not yet been established. Studies on attachment security conducted with different cultural groups provide a means of comparing naturally occurring differences in parenting practices and socio-emotional environments of children. These studies report inconsistencies of attachment security across cultures and suggest that consideration should be given to cultural differences when applying attachment theory across cultures. In this article, we analyse the correspondence between attachment theory and descriptions of Aboriginal parenting and question the relevance of attachment theory to Aboriginal parents who do not adhere to the mother-infant dyad as the sole contributor to the child’s sense of security.

scholarly journals From Uganda to Baltimore to Alexandra Township: How far can Ainsworth’s theory stretch?

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola K. Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Parenting Practices ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Cultural Relevance ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Cultural Groups ◽  
Culturally Specific ◽  
Infant Attachment

Introduction: After extensive observation of mother-infant dyads in two diverse contexts, Ainsworth developed the construct of maternal sensitivity to explain the nature of mother-infant interactions that lead to infant attachment security. She believed this construct to be universally applicable. Since Ainsworth’s publications, her theory has been adapted and extended, particularly by theorists working in North American and Western European countries. These developments have been largely uninterrogated in relation to their universal cultural relevance, despite the fact that parenting practices differ greatly across cultural groups. Those who have begun to interrogate the cultural universality of current conceptualisation of maternal sensitivity highlight important areas of cultural disagreement.Method: This article provides a critical theoretical argument regarding the cultural universality of maternal sensitivity, extending comment to the cultural and contextual relevance of developments in its operationalisation.Results: Particular aspects of current theoretical and operational use of the construct of maternal sensitivity that are potentially culturally specific (as opposed to culturally universal) are noted, namely the inclusion of positive affect, the centrality of parent-infant play, verbal responsiveness, the inclusion of learning in parent-infant interactions and the shift towards a more proactive (rather than reactive) role for the parent in parent-infant interactions.Conclusion: This article suggests that the evolution of the concept of maternal sensitivity has failed to account for cultural differences.

Attachment Theory and Research

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross A. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Attachment Research ◽  
Early Parent ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

Attachment theory has long been at the forefront of research efforts to understand the origins and enduring impact of early parent–child relationships. It has also expanded into a theory of lifespan implications with relevance to problems in developmental psychopathology, early intervention, and mental representation. This review of the expanding research literature on attachment is organized around eight questions: (a) To whom do attachments develop? (b) What are the biological foundations of attachment? (c) How does culture influence attachment and its consequences? (d) What contributes to attachments becoming secure or insecure? (e) How does attachment security change over time? (f) What are the later outcomes of secure or insecure attachments? (g) How does attachment influence thinking and social representations? (h) What are the clinical implications of attachment research? The answers to these questions summarize what has been learned about the importance of early parent–child relationships and identify future research priorities.

scholarly journals A Critical Exploration of Child-Parent Attachment as a Contextual Construct

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya-Hsin Lai ◽  
Sam Carr
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Parent Attachment ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Critical Exploration ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

Bowlby’s (1969/1982) attachment theory has been employed as a broad and integrative framework to explore human wellness across a range of disciplines. Attachment theory has even been labelled one of the last surviving “grand theories” not to have been completely dismissed, replaced, or extensively reworked (e.g., Carr, 2012; Mercer, 2011). However, despite the ubiquitous nature of some of the theory’s fundamental tenets, there are always possibilities for new conceptual development, extension, and revision. In this paper, we critically explore the idea of “context-specific” attachment within parent-child relationships. We briefly outline critical assumptions and key areas of attachment and articulate potential rationale, conceptualisation, and relevance of contextual attachment.

scholarly journals Enhancing the “Broaden and Build” Cycle of Attachment Security in Adulthood: From the Laboratory to Relational Contexts and Societal Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 2054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Mikulincer ◽  
Phillip R. Shaver
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Security Enhancement ◽  
Management Group ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Relationship Partners

Attachment theory emphasizes both the importance of the availability of caring, supportive relationship partners, beginning in infancy, for developing a sense of safety and security, and the beneficial effects of this sense of security on psychosocial functioning and physical and mental health. In this article, we briefly review basic concepts of attachment theory, focusing on the core construct of attachment security and present evidence concerning the ways in which this sense can be enhanced in adulthood. Specifically, we review findings from laboratory experiments that have momentarily enhanced the sense of attachment security and examined its effects on emotion regulation, psychological functioning, and prosocial behavior. We then review empirical findings and ideas concerning security enhancement by actual relationship partners, non-human symbolic figures, and societal systems in a wide variety of life domains, such as marital relationships, psychotherapy, education, health and medicine, leadership and management, group interactions, religion, law, and government.

Measure of Parenting Practices and Parent-Child Relationships

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol W. Metzler ◽  
Anthony Biglan ◽  
Dennis V. Ary ◽  
Fuzhong Li
Keyword(s):  
Parenting Practices ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

scholarly journals A Critical Exploration of Child-Parent Attachment as a Contextual Construct

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya-Hsin Lai ◽  
Sam Carr
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Parent Attachment ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Critical Exploration ◽  
Specific Attachment ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

Bowlby’s attachment theory has been employed as a broad and integrative framework to explore human wellness across a range of disciplines. Attachment theory has even been labelled one of the last surviving “grand theories” not to have been completely dismissed, replaced, or extensively reworked. However, despite the ubiquitous nature of some of the theory’s fundamental tenets, there are always possibilities for new conceptual development, extension, and revision. In this paper, we critically explore the idea of “context-specific” attachment within parent-child relationships. We briefly outline critical assumptions and key areas of attachment and articulate potential rationale, conceptualization, and relevance of contextual attachment.

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