Foundations of Attachment

SPACE: the prime directive of

therapeutic parenting

Workshop Outline• Attachment in the Earliest

Moments• Causes of Missed

Attachment• The Brian & Trauma• Attachment-related

Behaviors

Eyes, Face, Voice, Touch, & Movement

The Attachment in the Earliest Moments

Baby rests

Caring response

Baby and Parent Play

Baby CriesBaby calms, trusts

The Attachment in the Earliest Moments

Connection

Break

Repair

Adapted from Levy & Orlans, 1998

Eyes, Face, Voice,

Touch, & Movement

Baby learns to sooth and manage self

Baby cries louder

Baby rests

The Attachment in the Earliest Moments

Parent does not respond, or responds

inconsistently

Baby loses trustBaby cries

Parent withdraws or responds with anger

Causes of Missed Attachment

• Circumstantial– Premature birth – Painful or undiagnosed illness or injury – Sudden separation from primary caregiver

• Neglect and Abuse– Pre- and post- natal maltreatment– Significantly inadequate or pathological caregiving– Physical, emotional abandonment by caregiver– Multiple placements

• Parents’ Attachment History

An Active DisorderThrough age three, a child experienced neglect and/or abuse.

The child changed primary caregiver(s) at least once. The child struggles with relationships.

Negative Thinking

Bad, unlovable,

unsafe, lacking trust

Lashing OutAnger to prove how unlovable,

expecting rejection

Adult Responds

Shame Confirmed

The Brain• How Memories Form:

The Brain

Right HemisphereBegins at BirthFeelsImplicit Memory

Left Hemisphere Begins about age 1.5

ThinksExplicit Memory

“Frozen Moments”

Natural Chemical Baseline

Typical Response to Trauma

Baseline

Traumatic Event

Alarm Reaction

Baseline

Response to Ongoing Trauma

Baseline

Traumatic Event

Alarm Reactio

n

Alarm Reactio

n

Alarm Reactio

n

Natural Chemical Baseline

The Mind

Adult Infant

Psychosocial Development

Trust & Mistrust – Infancy (Birth – 2)

Autonomy & Shame Toddlerhood (2-4)

Initiative & GuiltEarly School Age (5-7)

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Self-Regulation– Shrieking– Large reactions to minor

events– Head banging– Aggression toward others– Frequently defies rules

(oppositional) – Lack of impulse control– Self-destructive behaviors

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Self-Regulation– Intensely demanding &

clingy– Sleep problems– Soiling pants– Destruction of property– Abnormal eating habits– Stealing– Deceitful (lying,

conning)– Cruelty to animals

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Self-Regulation– Extreme difficulty

with transitions– Hyperactive– Lethargic– Nonsense

“arguments”– Hoarding– Inappropriate sexual

conduct & attitudes – Controlling

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Cognitive Functioning– Learning disorders – Language disorders

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Affect and Mood– Not affectionate on adults’ terms– Intense displays of anger (rage) –Marked mood changes – Intensely sad, depressed or helpless– Inappropriate emotional responses – Unresponsive and/or resistive to

caregiver attempts at soothing

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Relatedness– Overly friendly with strangers (non-

parents)– Fearful of adults– Does not like to be touched– Acts as bully– Bullied by others– Lack of eye contact for closeness– Lack of/unstable peer relationships– Cannot tolerate limits and external control

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Physical– Poor hygiene– Chronic body

tension– Accident prone– High pain

tolerance– Overreaction to

minor injury– Tactilely

defensive

Attachment-related Behaviors

• Play– Developmentally

regressed play– Bizarre play themes– Consistency of

anger/violence in play

Attachment-related Behaviors