Attachment and maternal deprivation

Bowlby's research had a profound impact on the way care was delivered to mothers in post-natal wards and to children in hospitals and residential institutions. Some of his main principles were:

1. The first five years are the most important.
2. The child's relationship with their parent (mother) has a big effect on the child's overall development.
3. Separation from the parent (mother) is a major source of emotional distress.
4. This separation has a long lasting effect - well into later life.
5. The attachment bond is between the parent and one other person 'monotropic'.
6. Bowlby thought that the period between 6 months and 3 years is a critical or sensitive period for attachment formation.
7. If a child were deprived of a mother or mother figure they were more likely to show 'delinquent' behaviour in later life.

Well that was then - this is now...

Whilst Bowlby did not say that the most important figure was the mother, he did emphasise the importance of a single, central mother figure. Later research has shown that infants can form strong bonds with a number of carers and it is the quality and consistency of these relationships that are important.