Attachment theory is a core issue in the area of parenting and relationships between parents and children. It was developed by the psychologist John Bowlby, it refers to the tendency of young children to seek permanent contact with one or more caregivers when they are scared, worried or vulnerable. In this attachment the role of the mother is fundamental, as it is the first contact, that the infant has with the outside world from birth, through its care, caresses and feeding. Bowlby’s conceptualization drew heavily on evolutionary theory, ethology, and cybernetics, and he conceived that these behaviors arise through natural selection, to maximize survival and reproduction.
Likewise, Ainsworth, who collaborated with Bowley in this field, developed three attachment styles: secure, anxious, ambivalent and avoidant. Subsequently, another type of attachment, disorganized, has been investigated. Babies with the first type of attachment show anxiety when separated from their caregiver and are easily sedated when reunited. They are more even-tempered and balanced. Those with anxious attachment tend to be more attached and appear anxious even in the presence of the caregiver. In the case of disorganized attachment, the baby shows erratic behavior such as approaching the caregiver while the child shows signs of fear and confusion.
This theory has many applications for health professionals, those who treat infant illnesses and nurses who, with their educational work, encourage caregiver-baby skin-to-skin contact in early childhood, educating about the importance of to respond quickly to the baby’s needs such as hunger, cold, heat, discomfort, etc., encourage them to have good visual communication, and talk to them, sing to them, establish routines such as feeding, sleeping, bathing and later activity times. playful.
In conclusion, it can be stated that attachment theory has great clinical utility in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses, which had their origin in the type of attachment that children had with their caregivers/parents, altering communication and the system of relationships in their adult life, nursing work in this area is mainly in health education for parents to systematize learning and have a healthy and independent life through secure attachment.
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