Impact of attachment, temperament and parenting on human development

Summary & key facts

This review explains attachment theory and temperament and how they relate to parenting. It says infants need close, responsive relationships with caregivers. Parents who respond quickly and appropriately tend to raise securely attached children. Secure attachment is linked with more curiosity, self-reliance, and independence in childhood and often with greater resilience and competence in adulthood. Children who do not form secure attachments may have trouble trusting others and getting along. Some temperaments—being slow to adjust, shy, or irritable—can increase parent–child conflict and reduce parental acceptance. Parents who adjust their care to a child’s temperament can reduce these pro

Key facts:

• Attachment is described as a basic human need for a close relationship between infants and their caregivers.
• Responsive and contingent parenting tends to produce securely attached children who show more curiosity, self-reliance, and independence.
• Securely attached children often become more resilient and competent adults, according to the review.
• Children who do not experience a secure attachment may have difficulty getting along with others and may struggle to develop confidence or trust in others.
• Children who are slow to adjust, shy, or irritable are likely to have more conflict with their parents and to receive less parental acceptance or encouragement.
• The review says that parents can reduce the negative effects of a difficult temperament by adjusting their caregiving to fit the child’s needs.
• Reflecting on one’s own childhood relationships may help people develop skills for better guidance and nurturance of children.

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to present the basic concepts of attachment theory and temperament traits and to discuss the integration of these concepts into parenting practices. Attachment is a basic human need for a close and intimate relationship between infants and their caregivers. Responsive and contingent parenting produces securely attached children who show more curiosity, self-reliance, and independence. Securely attached children also tend to become more resilient and competent adults. In contrast, those who do not experience a secure attachment with their caregivers may have difficulty getting along with others and be unable to develop a sense of confidence or trust in others. Children who are slow to adjust or are shy or irritable are likely to experience conflict with their parents and are likely to receive less parental acceptance or encouragement, which can make the children feel inadequate or unworthy. However, the influence of children's temperament or other attributes may be mitigated if parents adjust their caregiving behaviors to better fit the needs of the particular child. Reflecting on these arguments and our childhood relationships with our own parents can help us develop the skills needed to provide effective guidance and nurturance.

Topics

Attachment and Relationship Dynamics Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development Family Dynamics and Relationships

Categories

Psychology Social Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Clinical psychology Developmental psychology Medicine Personality Psychology Social psychology Temperament