Father Attachment Theory

Improved Essays
Show More
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Background of the Problem
A number of studies have documented the positive effects of paternal involvement on child development (Amato & Fowler, 2002; Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington, & Bornstein, 2000; Lamb, 2012; Pleck, 2010). Considering social changes such as the increase in women’s labor force participation and increases in divorce, there has been increasing interest in the value of father involvement. However, specific factors that influence the level of the father’s involvement are not yet sufficiently understood. The majority of the research has focused on the importance of the fathers’ demographic characteristics (level of education, employment status, race) (Coley & Chase-Lansdale, 1999; King, Harris, …show more content…
Drawing concepts from developmental psychology and psychoanalysis, Bowlby (1951) formulated the “Attachment theory” that became seminal in the area of child development and attachment to mother. In the literature, child attachment to mother has found support as being important for the child development (Bowlby, 1951; Condon, Corkindale, & Boyce, 2008). In addition, a number of authors studied the importance of mother’s attachment to the child, and found that maternal response behaviours to the child’s attachment can affect child’s feelings of safety (Bowlby, 1951; Condon, et al., 2008; Lamb, 1977). Furthermore, feelings of being safe and secure depend on mothers’ care and the extent of the attachment that mothers demonstrate to their …show more content…
Symbolic interactionism was the principal theoretical framework for family studies in the 1920s and 1930s (when family studies were aiming to become a separate science), and it is one of the most popular perspectives in family studies today (Fox & Bruce, 2001; LaRossa & Reitzes, 1993). LaRossa and Reitzes (1993) described symbolic interactionism in terms of shared meanings (‘symbols’) and verbal and nonverbal communications (‘interactions’). Connection between these two components helps individuals to develop their identities through social

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    Essay On Attachment Theory
    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Essay On Attachment Theory

    ESSAY 1: What Would You Do For A Crying Baby? Ng Xin-Ru, Victoria 1403271H Crying suggests a physiological maturational development, which requires adjustment and adaptation. Crying is not a signal for help or relief, as it does not require intervention (Thomson & Leeds, 2014). Infants communicate their needs to their caregiver through crying (Soltis, 2004), thus, being able to evaluate the infant’s cries is an important skill for caregivers to develop.…

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fathering In America Analysis
    • 810 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Fathering In America Analysis

    In "Fathering in America: What's a Dad Supposed to Do?," Marie Hartwell-Walker observes that no matter the kind of family situation children are in, fathers are a critical part of their child's lives. Walker displays the majority of how men can father their children, but there is so much more to the important role of being their father in the child's lives. Many have heard that having a strong male influence is important in a young boy's life, but it's equally important for a daughter to have one as well. Throughout the essay, Walker repeatedly notes that more fathers are absent for all or significant periods of time of their child's life. This can either be because the fathers are unable to provide for them financially, are prohibited from seeing them, or because their father's relationship with their mother didn’t go well.…

    • 810 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Attachment Theory
    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Attachment Theory

    Throughout this essay I will be discussing the significance of attachment theory for social work practitioners and how they can implement this to develop emotional functioning with younger children. In addition I will examine how the theory has changed and progressed since John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth first “attempts to examine the psychological effects of early relationships” ( Goldberg,2000, pg3) to more contemporary approach such as Michael Rutter’s book on “Maternal Deprivation reassessed” critiquing Bowlby and the development in neuroscience. Attachment theory can be defined as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby 1969, p. 194). John Bowlby, “a British psychoanalyst’ work attempted to understand the…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Attitudes Shift On Paid Leave: Dads Sue, Too Analysis
    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Attitudes Shift On Paid Leave: Dads Sue, Too Analysis

    (I’m just kidding) There are countless studies that have been done on the effect of paternal interaction with a child. In one study 22,300 datasets were reviewed and what was discovered was that regular father engagement with a child most likely produces a positive outcome for that child (Sarkadi, Kristiansson, Oberklaid, & Bremberg, 2008). So by allowing fathers to have more time with their children we can predict that those children will be better behaved and more accomplished than those who don’t. Mothers are also in need of support.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Importance Of Attachmentment In Early Relationships
    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Importance Of Attachmentment In Early Relationships

    Every day people interact within different types of relationships, whether they are with friends, family or significant others. We have a need for these relationships. One of the most important relationships that provide support for an individual is the one we have with our parents. Multiple studies have shown that children rely on their parents for a sense of security in early development because of how the parents respond to their child. This sense of security that is given to the child helps the child develop their sense of emotion.…

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Father Engagement Research
    • 3383 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Father Engagement Research

    Do you ever think about the impact of child support payments as it relates to father engagement? As we all know taking care of children financially is a necessity for their well-being. While going through this process I wanted to find out child support affect fathers as it relates to the engagement with their children. Then I wanted to dive a little deeper and explore how does feel to be ordered by an outsider to make payments towards the livelihood of your child. Many thoughts perceptions came into play when I thought about child support payments for fathers but what I began to discover was a trifle of interrelated issues that may prevent fathers from raising their children properly.…

    • 3383 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Attachment Theory
    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Attachment Theory

    Attachment theory receives a significant amount of attention in the mental health field. In the classroom setting, psychology students learn about the early contributions of attachment theory, namely the process of developing secure or insecure attachment in the first years of life. At times, the life-long implications of the initial care giving relationships on the individual are also considered. However, significant advancements have been made in the field with multiple studies demonstrating that attachment status is not as steady as previously believed. The purpose of this paper is to understand and describe the process of repairing insecure attachment.…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Quality Of Attachment Theory
    • 1342 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Quality Of Attachment Theory

    Upon analyze, it is theorized that the quality of attachment relationships has its roots in early maternal interactions (Solberg, 2012). The mothers create the base of a child’s attachment. Data has showed when mothers are sensitively responsive to their children they are more likely to develop secure attachments as when mothers are insensitive, children are more likely to become insecure (Thompson, 2010). If infants are not put into a daycare service at an early age their attachments tend to remain normal. Maternal behaviors during an infant’s first year of life are critical to the formation of secure attachment relationships (Solberg, 2012).…

    • 1342 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    What Is Secure Attachment
    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages

    What Is Secure Attachment

    Attachment and development Attachment can be dissented into two main categories; secure and insecure. Insecure attachment can further be spilt into different types; insecure-avoidant, insecure-ambivalent and insecure-disorganised. The relationship between an infant and their primary caregiver is fundamental for future relationships of the child. The child will use their first relationship as a template to apply to future relationship experiences.…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Prison Nurseries
    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Prison Nurseries

    Additionally, a mother and her child must develop a secure attachment so that the child can develop future relationships with other people, also, so that he/she can develop resiliency towards future stressful situations, and so that he or she can desist from future substance abuse and or crime involvement (Few-Demo & Arditti, 2013; Fritz & Whiteacre, 2016; Goshin & Byrne, 2009; Yager, 2015). More specifically, it is vital for both mother and child to remain together because in order to develop a secure attachment the child must ensure continuous and stable interactions with his/her primary care takers (Elmalak, 2015; Colin & Low, 1991), and a secure attachment is what ultimately allow the child adequately develop his adult life in a health way (Elmalak, 2015; Goshin & Byrne, 2009; JBara, 2013). Furthermore,…

    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Social Attachment Theory Essay
    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Social Attachment Theory Essay

    Attachment The Attachment Theory maintains that the bond between an infant and his or her primary caregiver greatly influences personality, cognitive ability, and relationships throughout life. Psychologist Mary Ainsworth studied attachment patterns through an experiment known as the Strange Situation in which a mother left a child in a room for short period of time either alone or with a stranger; the child’s behavior was assessed when the mother left and when she returned. Three different patterns were observed. They are secure attachment, avoidant attachment, and ambivalent attachment.…

    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    The Attachment Theory
    • 186 Words
    • 1 Pages

    The Attachment Theory

    Psychological theories focus on the instinctive and psychological qualities of those who abuse. It is abnormalities that the individual abuser is responsible for abuse, for example, abusive parents may themselves have been abuse in childhood (Corby 2000). Attachment theory comes from the work of Bowlby (1951) who carried out research into the nature and effects of maternal lack on young children. He theorized that any significant separation of a child from the mother in the first five years of life could lead to a variety of psychological and social difficulties in later life since proper bonding and attachment to the mother was crucial if a child was to benefit from physical protection and psychological security. Until the mid 1980s, attachment…

    • 186 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Childhood Attachment
    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Childhood Attachment

    Caldera, Y. M., & Hart, S. (2004). Exposure to child care, parenting style and attachment security. Infant and Child Development, 13(1), 21–33. doi:10.1002/icd.329…

    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reflection On Attachment
    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Reflection On Attachment

    After viewing the Attachment in Infancy & Toddlerhood Wikipage, it made me think about my own attachment to my mother based upon my behavior as a child described to by my parents. I displayed a very explorative and joyful demeanor when I was near them. I vaguely remember being very upset at only a few years of age upon being separated from my mother. However, I remember after a few years of age, I grew more and more acceptant of her departure while knowing I would see her again soon. I believe I portrayed a secure attachment, as my mother expressed consistent and sensitive response to my signals and needs as a young child.…

    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Attachment And Attachment Theory
    • 1371 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Attachment And Attachment Theory

    From the experiment, another significant finding was a strong connection between maternal behavior and a quality of attachment that determined infant behavior (Ainsworth, 1979). Ainsworth believed that a sensitive and responsible mothers create a strong emotional bond, which make emotionally secure and confident baby (Santrock,…

    • 1371 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings