Week 11
Based on the theory of attachment, what behaviors would a nurse attempt to stimulate when working with parent to promote health attachment?
Please include 400 words in your initial post with two scholarly articles by Wednesday midnight and 200 words in two answers to your peers by Saturday midnight.
Topics
• Historical Background
• Description of Attachment Theory
• Definition of Key Concepts
• Internal Working Models
• Patterns of Attachment
• Attachment as a Basic Need
• Attachment and Care
• Attachment and Health
• Development and Change
• Application of Attachment Theory: Research
• Application of Theory:
• Practice Further Research Weekly Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learners will:
• Discuss the underpinning of the attachment theory
• Define the key concepts of attachment theory
• Apply the attachment theory to clinical practice and research.
Student Learning Outcomes (Outcome 1-3, & 5)
After completing this course, the learner should be able to:
• Critically analyze the philosophical underpinnings of nursing theories.
• Critique nursing’s conceptual models, grand theories, and mid-range theories.
• Examine the influence that nursing models and theories have upon research and practice.
• Apply nursing theory or theories to nursing research.
Program Learning Outcomes:
• Integrate nursing and related sciences into the delivery of care to clients across diverse healthcare settings
• Relate knowledge of illness and disease management to providing evidence-based care to clients, communities, and vulnerable populations in an evolving healthcare delivery system.
Historical Background:
Attachment theory was first introduced by John Bowlby in the 1950s as a framework for understanding the relationships between infants and their caregivers. Bowlby, a British psychiatrist, observed that infants who were separated from their mothers or primary caregivers experienced distress and displayed a range of negative emotions and behaviors. He concluded that the quality of the attachment between the infant and caregiver was a critical factor in the child’s emotional and social development.
Description of Attachment Theory:
Attachment theory posits that humans are biologically predisposed to form close emotional bonds with a few significant others, particularly caregivers, and that these attachments have profound implications for emotional and social development throughout the lifespan. Attachment theory has four main components: 1) the biological basis of attachment; 2) the critical period for attachment formation; 3) the internal working models of attachment; and 4) the patterns of attachment.
Definition of Key Concepts:
The key concepts of attachment theory include attachment, caregiver, secure base, internal working models, and patterns of attachment. Attachment refers to the emotional bond between an infant and their caregiver. Caregiver refers to the person who provides the infant with care and support. Secure base refers to the sense of safety and security that an infant derives from their attachment figure. Internal working models refer to the cognitive and emotional schemas that an individual develops based on their experiences with attachment figures. Patterns of attachment refer to the ways in which individuals respond to separation and reunion with attachment figures.
Internal Working Models:
Internal working models are cognitive and emotional schemas that individuals develop based on their experiences with attachment figures. These models include beliefs about the self, others, and the world, as well as expectations for how relationships will unfold. Internal working models are thought to influence individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in relationships throughout the lifespan.
Patterns of Attachment:
Patterns of attachment are the ways in which individuals respond to separation and reunion with attachment figures. There are four main patterns of attachment: secure attachment, anxious-ambivalent attachment, avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment. Secure attachment is characterized by a sense of safety and security in the presence of the attachment figure and a willingness to explore the environment. Anxious-ambivalent attachment is characterized by anxiety and distress when separated from the attachment figure and ambivalence about seeking comfort upon reunion. Avoidant attachment is characterized by a tendency to avoid or ignore the attachment figure and a preference for self-reliance. Disorganized attachment is characterized by a lack of coherent strategy for responding to separation and reunion with the attachment figure.
Attachment as a Basic Need:
Attachment is considered a basic need, on par with other biological needs such as food and water. The emotional bond between an infant and caregiver is critical for survival and development, and disruptions in attachment can have profound and lasting effects on emotional and social development throughout the lifespan.
Attachment and Care:
Attachment theory has implications for the provision of care, particularly in healthcare settings. When working with parents to promote healthy attachment, nurses may attempt to stimulate behaviors such as responsiveness, sensitivity, and consistency. Responsiveness involves promptly and appropriately responding to the infant’s cues and needs. Sensitivity involves accurately perceiving and interpreting the infant’s cues and needs. Consistency involves providing a stable and predictable caregiving environment.
Attachment and Health:
Attachment theory has been linked to a range of health outcomes, including mental health, physical health, and social functioning. Secure attachment is associated with positive outcomes in these areas, while insecure attachment is associated with negative outcomes. For example, individuals with insecure attachment may be at increased risk for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, as well as physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
Development and Change:
Attachment patterns can change over time in response to changes in caregiving and life experiences. For example, individuals who experience disruptions in attachment
