Attachment

Attachment can have an important role in emotional development The attachment system is one of several biological drives that an infant is born with. Its purpose is to keep the child safe at times when they are frightened, ill or tired. When this happens the system becomes triggered and kicks into action, causing the infant to seek out their carer. When the child is no longer under threat, it switches off and other behavioural systems become more important, such as those for playing or exploring etc.

Attachment theory was first proposed by John Bowlby, a British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. He had been studying the effects on children of being separated from their families during the Second World War. This led Bowlby to think about the importance of the child’s emotional ties to their parents, and in particular to their mother. Mothers were the main carers of children at this period in the middle of the 20^th century.