Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
We're looking at attachment theory across the lifespan. So Boldby
conceptualized attachment as an evolutionary survival system, so it does
have evolutionary psychology ideas within it. Aimsworth strained situation, classified
infinite attachment into secure, anxious, ambivalent, avoidant, and later disorganized patients.
(00:21):
So we'll be looking at those and see how they go,
how they'll operate. Early caregiving experiences form internal working models
that shape self concept and expectations of others. Attachment patterns
influence relationships of course, romantic intimacy, parenting, and therapeutic dynamics.
So let's start taking a look at this. Bolby's foundation
(00:43):
here believe the attachment was not learned by biologically being programmed,
but like Duckling's following their mother, human infants are wired
to form bonds with a caregiver. This is not just emotional,
it's about survival. According to Boldby, he proposed that children
form an attachment behavioral system that actively under a threat.
This is where you, amigula, will kick in right. Your
threat center. Processes are through your prefrontal cortex. When a
(01:06):
child feels distressed, they seek proximity to a caregiver. If
that proximity provides safety and regulation a secure basis form.
If not, the child adapts, but at a cost. And
you also remember now pha's different stages Ericson stages, the
brain builds internal working models, mental representations of how safe
(01:27):
for unsafe relationships feel. Ainsworth developed the strange situation. It's
a lab based method for observing infant responses to brief
separations and reunions. And here it's usually between the ages
of one year to year and a half. So we're
talking sensor remoter stage from PHA object permanence if you
(01:47):
remember that, which can cause anxiety if you don't believe
the objects exist when they're not seen and eric sent
it goes from trust for versus mistrust and autonomy versus shame.
Those two stages are here within Ainsworth. First, when a
secure attachment, this is where infant explores freely, shows distress
upon separation, is quickly comforted upon return. So, especially at
(02:10):
age one and a half or two, where they're looking
and exploring is now they're mobile. It reflects responsive, attuned
caregiving becomes a foundation for emotional regulation, which is on
the right side of the prefrontal cortex. Exploration and relational trust.
You can see this again from Eric since first stage
anxious ambivalent resistant attachment. iNFiNiT is clinging, highly distressed, separation
(02:31):
and ambivalent. A reunion wants contact but resists linked inconsistent caregiving,
sometimes responsive, sometimes not. We've seen this sometimes with parents
with certain psychiatric conditions or substance use disorders. Leads to
hyperactivation of the attachment system, emotional intensity, fear of abandonment,
(02:54):
avoidant attachment. This is where an infant shows little distress
as separation and avoids caregiver. A reunion arises from emotionally
unavailable or rejecting caregivers. Child suppresses emotional needs to maintain
proximity without conflict. The disorganized attachment infant shows contradictory fearful
or freezing behaviors often associated with frightening, neglectful, or abusive caregiving.
(03:17):
So this is a really bad situation there. You kind
of think, here's adverts. Childhood experiences lack of coherence strategy
for their safety, and this is linked to later dissociation,
trauma symptoms and emotions regulation, so disassociation. We can see
this in a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, possibly right
(03:39):
Internal Working Models was created across the development and early childhood.
Internal Working Model's guide how children interpret social interactions. A
securely attached child expects comfort, support, and emotional responsiveness. An
avoidantly attached child learns to hide vulnerability, mistrusting others responsiveness,
and anxiously attached becomes hyper vigilant, looking at everything to
(04:02):
cues of abandonment, sometimes even seeing it where it isn't.
This organized attachment carries fragmented or contradictory expectations, often pair
with fear. None of these models are set in stone.
They do evolve with experience and changes. How does this
look like in an attachment when it comes to friendships,
romantic relationships, and parenting, Well, let's take a look peer relationships.
(04:25):
The secure children form mutually supportive friendships, while insecure may
struggle with trust, jealousy, or isolation. Right, if you have
an anxious individual, this person's got a lot of issues
with fear of abandonment again kind of reminding us as
a borderline, and they're going to have trust issues. The
avoidant may go into isolation or Gotman's concept of stonewalling
(04:47):
sometimes as well. Most people will have a little bit
of everything more people think it's over sixty percent will
have a secure attachment and then a little bit of
the other two, anxious and avoidant. Really it's which one
do you have more kind of dictates how you're going
to be in a relationship. So secure adults tend to
have stable, trusting, or emotionally intimate partnerships, while anxious adults
(05:09):
may appear clinging, jealous, or demanding. Avoidant may withdraw emotionally
or fear commitment. They may use the defense mechanism a
lot of intellectualization. Disorganized adults often show push pull dynamics
or fearful avoidance parenting. Adults with secure attachment histories tend
to show sensitive, reflecting caregiving, but those with unresolved trauma
(05:30):
or disorganized attachment may struggle with emotional attement or reactive parenting.
So attachment can look be looked as intergenerational. Really a
lot of it's modeling from the ideas of Bandua. Attachments
across cultures vary, though see collectivistic cultures. Independence may be
deemphasized as secure attachment looks more interdependent. For instance, Japanese
(05:53):
infants in the strange situation often show behaviors classified as
resistant not because they're insecure, but because separation is less
culturally normative and Israeli kibbut settings or kibutz settings. Multiple
caregivers may influence attachment differently than in nuclear family models,
So we have to avoid interpreting these behaviors through a
Western lens and understand the culture of our client. Attachment
(06:18):
disorders well, let's say here reactive attachment disorder RAD marked
by withdrawal, limited affect, and lack of seeking comfort linked
to early deprivation, institutionalization or chronic neglect. Child rarely initiates
social interaction or response to comfort. I also have disinhibited
social engagement disorder and appropriate social behavior overfamiliarity with strangers,
(06:41):
lack of boundaries often associated with early institutional care, multiple
caregiver and disruptions. Here again, you're kind of thinking of borderline,
the more controversial idea of historyonic personality disorder. These conditions
require structure and consistent caregiving excuse me, clinical application or
attachment based interventions. Circle of security, parent child interaction, therapy, attachment,
(07:06):
and bio behavioral catch up all aim to repair strength
and attachment bonds. These models emphasize parental reflection, emotional toment
and code regulation. So let's take we'll take a look
at some of these and see what they're all about,
because there's quite a bit of them. The Circle of
Security is one, and we'll look to see what this
(07:30):
is about. And then we'll take a look at parent
what is it parent child interaction therapy because you want
to have at least a basic idea of how these
are operating, so when you go on the test and
you see it, you'll have a little bit more of
an understanding of it. So the circle of security is
an attachment based parenting theory is grounded in the work
(07:50):
of Bowlby and Ainsworth. Key concept is imagine a circle
that represents a secure base from which you talk can
explore the world. So you be the secure pay play
the base. I'm sorry. So they got two essential roles.
Caregiver must play. Be the secure base and be the
safe haven. So secure base for exploration so they have
somewhere to return, and when they return, you become a
(08:11):
safe haven. So welcome to the child back when they
see comfort. Main emotional needs on the circle, watch over me,
delighten me, help me. These needs appear as a child
moves away from and returns to the caregiver. Another one
is the parent Child Interaction therapy. Here it's evidence based
short term behavioral intervention, especially effective for age two to seven.
(08:34):
So here again you see now the pre operational stage
from PHA, the stage of autonomy and shame over from
ericson with disruptive behavior disorders such as odd ADHD or
conduct problems. Core goals of pcit is improve parent child
detachment and hence parenting skills, reduce externalizing behaviors like impulsivity
(08:59):
or aggression and children, and increase positive communication patterns. Next
is understanding relationship difficulties. Adult attachment styles predict therapy ruptures,
romantic dysfunction, and caregiving stress. A client with anxious, preoccupied
attachment may fear abandonment by the therapist, and avoidantly attached
(09:21):
client may minimize the stress, making it harder to access emotions.
We can think of here again a lot of intellectualization
defense mechanisms. Here therapeutic relationship as a secure base. A
core healing element in therapy is a creation of a
secure base, a consistent, empathic, attuned relationship that allows clients
to explore risk and reflect. Therapists provide the emotional containment modeling,
(09:42):
trustworthy responsiveness, and non judgmental presence. In addition, trauma informed
attachment work for clients with disorganized theories or histories. Attachment
work must be paid carefully with attention to dissociation, relational triggers,
and boundary ambiguity. Treatment must focus for on regulation and
safety and then gradually introduce relational repair. So understanding the
(10:07):
basics of attachment theory, understanding how an adult will operate
with these different attachment theories is really important as a therapist.
In my opinion, that's it for now,
We're looking at attachment theory across the lifespan. So Boldby
conceptualized attachment as an evolutionary survival system, so it does
have evolutionary psychology ideas within it. Aimsworth strained situation, classified
infinite attachment into secure, anxious, ambivalent, avoidant, and later disorganized patients.
(00:21):
So we'll be looking at those and see how they go,
how they'll operate. Early caregiving experiences form internal working models
that shape self concept and expectations of others. Attachment patterns
influence relationships of course, romantic intimacy, parenting, and therapeutic dynamics.
So let's start taking a look at this. Bolby's foundation
(00:43):
here believe the attachment was not learned by biologically being programmed,
but like Duckling's following their mother, human infants are wired
to form bonds with a caregiver. This is not just emotional,
it's about survival. According to Boldby, he proposed that children
form an attachment behavioral system that actively under a threat.
This is where you, amigula, will kick in right. Your
threat center. Processes are through your prefrontal cortex. When a
(01:06):
child feels distressed, they seek proximity to a caregiver. If
that proximity provides safety and regulation a secure basis form.
If not, the child adapts, but at a cost. And
you also remember now pha's different stages Ericson stages, the
brain builds internal working models, mental representations of how safe
(01:27):
for unsafe relationships feel. Ainsworth developed the strange situation. It's
a lab based method for observing infant responses to brief
separations and reunions. And here it's usually between the ages
of one year to year and a half. So we're
talking sensor remoter stage from PHA object permanence if you
(01:47):
remember that, which can cause anxiety if you don't believe
the objects exist when they're not seen and eric sent
it goes from trust for versus mistrust and autonomy versus shame.
Those two stages are here within Ainsworth. First, when a
secure attachment, this is where infant explores freely, shows distress
upon separation, is quickly comforted upon return. So, especially at
(02:10):
age one and a half or two, where they're looking
and exploring is now they're mobile. It reflects responsive, attuned
caregiving becomes a foundation for emotional regulation, which is on
the right side of the prefrontal cortex. Exploration and relational trust.
You can see this again from Eric since first stage
anxious ambivalent resistant attachment. iNFiNiT is clinging, highly distressed, separation
(02:31):
and ambivalent. A reunion wants contact but resists linked inconsistent caregiving,
sometimes responsive, sometimes not. We've seen this sometimes with parents
with certain psychiatric conditions or substance use disorders. Leads to
hyperactivation of the attachment system, emotional intensity, fear of abandonment,
(02:54):
avoidant attachment. This is where an infant shows little distress
as separation and avoids caregiver. A reunion arises from emotionally
unavailable or rejecting caregivers. Child suppresses emotional needs to maintain
proximity without conflict. The disorganized attachment infant shows contradictory fearful
or freezing behaviors often associated with frightening, neglectful, or abusive caregiving.
(03:17):
So this is a really bad situation there. You kind
of think, here's adverts. Childhood experiences lack of coherence strategy
for their safety, and this is linked to later dissociation,
trauma symptoms and emotions regulation, so disassociation. We can see
this in a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, possibly right
(03:39):
Internal Working Models was created across the development and early childhood.
Internal Working Model's guide how children interpret social interactions. A
securely attached child expects comfort, support, and emotional responsiveness. An
avoidantly attached child learns to hide vulnerability, mistrusting others responsiveness,
and anxiously attached becomes hyper vigilant, looking at everything to
(04:02):
cues of abandonment, sometimes even seeing it where it isn't.
This organized attachment carries fragmented or contradictory expectations, often pair
with fear. None of these models are set in stone.
They do evolve with experience and changes. How does this
look like in an attachment when it comes to friendships,
romantic relationships, and parenting, Well, let's take a look peer relationships.
(04:25):
The secure children form mutually supportive friendships, while insecure may
struggle with trust, jealousy, or isolation. Right, if you have
an anxious individual, this person's got a lot of issues
with fear of abandonment again kind of reminding us as
a borderline, and they're going to have trust issues. The
avoidant may go into isolation or Gotman's concept of stonewalling
(04:47):
sometimes as well. Most people will have a little bit
of everything more people think it's over sixty percent will
have a secure attachment and then a little bit of
the other two, anxious and avoidant. Really it's which one
do you have more kind of dictates how you're going
to be in a relationship. So secure adults tend to
have stable, trusting, or emotionally intimate partnerships, while anxious adults
(05:09):
may appear clinging, jealous, or demanding. Avoidant may withdraw emotionally
or fear commitment. They may use the defense mechanism a
lot of intellectualization. Disorganized adults often show push pull dynamics
or fearful avoidance parenting. Adults with secure attachment histories tend
to show sensitive, reflecting caregiving, but those with unresolved trauma
(05:30):
or disorganized attachment may struggle with emotional attement or reactive parenting.
So attachment can look be looked as intergenerational. Really a
lot of it's modeling from the ideas of Bandua. Attachments
across cultures vary, though see collectivistic cultures. Independence may be
deemphasized as secure attachment looks more interdependent. For instance, Japanese
(05:53):
infants in the strange situation often show behaviors classified as
resistant not because they're insecure, but because separation is less
culturally normative and Israeli kibbut settings or kibutz settings. Multiple
caregivers may influence attachment differently than in nuclear family models,
So we have to avoid interpreting these behaviors through a
Western lens and understand the culture of our client. Attachment
(06:18):
disorders well, let's say here reactive attachment disorder RAD marked
by withdrawal, limited affect, and lack of seeking comfort linked
to early deprivation, institutionalization or chronic neglect. Child rarely initiates
social interaction or response to comfort. I also have disinhibited
social engagement disorder and appropriate social behavior overfamiliarity with strangers,
(06:41):
lack of boundaries often associated with early institutional care, multiple
caregiver and disruptions. Here again, you're kind of thinking of borderline,
the more controversial idea of historyonic personality disorder. These conditions
require structure and consistent caregiving excuse me, clinical application or
attachment based interventions. Circle of security, parent child interaction, therapy, attachment,
(07:06):
and bio behavioral catch up all aim to repair strength
and attachment bonds. These models emphasize parental reflection, emotional toment
and code regulation. So let's take we'll take a look
at some of these and see what they're all about,
because there's quite a bit of them. The Circle of
Security is one, and we'll look to see what this
(07:30):
is about. And then we'll take a look at parent
what is it parent child interaction therapy because you want
to have at least a basic idea of how these
are operating, so when you go on the test and
you see it, you'll have a little bit more of
an understanding of it. So the circle of security is
an attachment based parenting theory is grounded in the work
(07:50):
of Bowlby and Ainsworth. Key concept is imagine a circle
that represents a secure base from which you talk can
explore the world. So you be the secure pay play
the base. I'm sorry. So they got two essential roles.
Caregiver must play. Be the secure base and be the
safe haven. So secure base for exploration so they have
somewhere to return, and when they return, you become a
(08:11):
safe haven. So welcome to the child back when they
see comfort. Main emotional needs on the circle, watch over me,
delighten me, help me. These needs appear as a child
moves away from and returns to the caregiver. Another one
is the parent Child Interaction therapy. Here it's evidence based
short term behavioral intervention, especially effective for age two to seven.
(08:34):
So here again you see now the pre operational stage
from PHA, the stage of autonomy and shame over from
ericson with disruptive behavior disorders such as odd ADHD or
conduct problems. Core goals of pcit is improve parent child
detachment and hence parenting skills, reduce externalizing behaviors like impulsivity
(08:59):
or aggression and children, and increase positive communication patterns. Next
is understanding relationship difficulties. Adult attachment styles predict therapy ruptures,
romantic dysfunction, and caregiving stress. A client with anxious, preoccupied
attachment may fear abandonment by the therapist, and avoidantly attached
(09:21):
client may minimize the stress, making it harder to access emotions.
We can think of here again a lot of intellectualization
defense mechanisms. Here therapeutic relationship as a secure base. A
core healing element in therapy is a creation of a
secure base, a consistent, empathic, attuned relationship that allows clients
to explore risk and reflect. Therapists provide the emotional containment modeling,
(09:42):
trustworthy responsiveness, and non judgmental presence. In addition, trauma informed
attachment work for clients with disorganized theories or histories. Attachment
work must be paid carefully with attention to dissociation, relational triggers,
and boundary ambiguity. Treatment must focus for on regulation and
safety and then gradually introduce relational repair. So understanding the
(10:07):
basics of attachment theory, understanding how an adult will operate
with these different attachment theories is really important as a therapist.
In my opinion, that's it for now,
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